Familiar faces: Nova Widianto (left) has known Rexy Mainaky since their playing days.
PETALING JAYA: Nova Widianto took the bold step of taking up the coaching job outside Indonesia for the first time in his career due to the trust and confidence he had in his former teammate Rexy Mainaky.
Rexy, Malaysia’s doubles coaching director, had approached Nova on the possibility of joining forces in Malaysia as the national mixed doubles coach during the World Championships in August.
Although Nova had expressed his interest in taking up the new challenge, the two-time world champion (with Liliyana Natsir in 2005 and 2007) could not commit immediately due to his role as the Indonesia’s mixed doubles coach and the fact that he still had an existing contract with the national body (PBSI) until the end of the year.
Nova, who arrived in Kuala Lumpur early before he starts as the Badminton Association of Malaysia’s (BAM) national mixed doubles coach on Jan 1, said he will be happy to join forces with Rexy.
“We have known each other from our playing days and I had served under him when Rexy was the HPD (high performance director) for PBSI for four years. My rapport and trust in Rexy is the reason for me to accept this job,” said Nova upon his arrival at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang yesterday.
“I have spent my entire career as a coach with PBSI and it will be a fresh start but I will be comfortable and committed to work under Rexy as we are on the same page.
“Our goal is always to produce the best and churn out champions and it becomes easier who can support and complement my role at BAM.
“Although Rexy had approached me and I was interested in accepting it, we have to keep it under wraps as I was still committed to my duties with PBSI until the end of the year.
“I have no grudges against PBSI in leaving after 11 years but it is the chance of accepting a new challenge and joining forces with Rexy again,” he added.
Rexy served as the Indonesia’s HPD from 2013 to 2016 where Nova was the assistant mixed doubles coach under veteran Richard Mainaky.
Richard, who is also Rexy’s elder brother, also resigned in September after an illustrious coaching career that spanned three decades where Nova was one of his prodigies.
Nova also confirmed that Richard’s retirement, which was done so that the 57-year-old coach can spend quality time with his family in Manado, Sulawesi, did not influence his decision to make a career switch to Malaysia.
Inheriting a young and mostly untested squad, the 45-year-old Nova said he is ready for the challenge after coming from a similar situation where Indonesia are also struggling with young combinations.
“Indonesia and Malaysia have a long tradition as rivals on court but are also quite close off the court. Our mixed doubles situation is also the same as both sides are experiencing new breeds coming and have not established themselves yet,” added Nova.
“But Rexy believes I can do something and I am also optimistic that the young pairs here can do something.”
Nova will not waste much time and will visit the coaches and the players at the Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM) in Bukit Kiara today to familiarise himself with the new set-up and environment before he begins his job on Jan 1.
