Badminton coach threatens to drop 'Super Dan'

BEIJING - Outspoken¹ China coach Li Yongbo has warned badminton world number one Lin Dan he could be dropped if he was unable to rediscover his fighting spirit, local media reported on Friday.

China's Lin Dan gestures as he speaks to the media during the final of the Sudirman Cup World Team Badminton Championships in Glasgow, Scotland2 June 17, 2007. [AP]

Lin, who was spared a dead rubber final against Indonesia's Olympic champion Taufik Hidayat after struggling through opening rounds at the recent Sudirman Cup in Glasgow, was "at the crossroads", Li said.

"Lin lacks the passion and the never-say-die attitude on court at the moment. These were his biggest strengths in recent events," the China Daily quoted Li as saying.

"Individually, it is up to him to make adjustments. He has to find the passion, and the strength of personality.

Lin's preliminary³ round loss to Malaysian former world number one Lee Chong Wei at Glasgow was the first time since the 2003 final that China had not won a Sudirman Cup match 5-0.

It was the only blemish⁴ in an otherwise flawless campaign as China won the title for a sixth time.

Li also hit out at the media for dubbing⁵ Lin "Super Dan" and putting more pressure on the world champion.

"I don't think there's anything super about him," Li said.

"It's the media which makes him a superman and a different player from the others. I'm afraid the higher you speak of him, the more setbacks he will suffer."