‘If I travel with the players all the time, we won't have another Sindhu’

Gopichand hasn’t been travelling with the likes of PV Sindhu on the international circuit and he doesn’t intend to change that until next year. “If I was just travelling, what happens to the next batch, we would never have a Sindhu come out then. We need more coaches, I can’t do it alone. I need more help and support,” said Gopichand.

All the top Indian players, including Sindhu, Saina Nehwal and Kidambi Srikanth, have achieved success under the guidance of Gopichand. But with Indian badminton growing by leaps and bounds, Gopichand has been devoting less time to the main stars.

Last month, there were reports that the relationship between Sindhu and Gopichand has deteriorated, something which the coach rubbished later on. “Everybody needs personal attention, and lot more court time from my side, which is not always possible. I keep getting it that ‘Bhaiya, you were not there, if you were there I would have won’,” Gopichand, a 2001 All England Champion, said.

“So what do you focus on? Since 2008-09, every year which is the Commonwealth and Asian Games or Olympic year, I have travelled and the other year I haven’t. So this year I’m not travelling, but in 2020 I will.”