JAKARTA, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian English newspaper the Jakarta Post published an article recently, holding that Indonesia needs new badminton blood.

    The article said, Olympic and world champion Taufik Hidayat has to bear the pain not only of his sore back but also Indonesia's semifinal exit from the just-concluded Thomas Cup badminton men's team championship in Tokyo.

    Despite Taufik's aching back, which he hurt a month before the event, the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) had no choice but to field him as the squad's first singles.

    The result was a disappointing three defeats, with Taufik's only win coming against a weak New Zealand in the preliminary round.

    Indonesia should learn from Malaysia. When its second singles Wong Choong Hann suffered an Achilles tendon injury in the quarterfinals, Malaysia was still able to turn to Kuan Beng Hong.

    The match against New Zealand should have been used by Indonesia as a chance to field younger players like Sony Dwi Kuncoro, Simon Santoso and Markus Wijanu, to let them experience the atmosphere of such a major event.

    "It's time for the PBSI to rely more on younger players. We should not only send seniors to tournaments just because they have a better chance to win," said Sony after Indonesia's loss to eventual Thomas Cup champion China.

    The PBSI has been selective about sending players to the International Badminton Federation-sanctioned tournaments because of financial constraints.

    Former badminton star Hastomo Arbi was also critical of the association.

    "We have a (serious) problem in finding new talent. Shuttlers in the class under Taufik, like Sony and Simon, must compete in international tournaments more frequently," the former shuttler, who helped Indonesia lift the Thomas Cup in 1984, was quoted as saying by Antara.

    Hastomo, who currently coaches young players at the Djarum Kudus club, also called on the PBSI to give more players the chance to join the national training camp.

    There is the fear, he said, that some of these younger players will move overseas to compete if the PBSI continues to sideline them from major international tournaments.

    Hastomo said emerging badminton powers in Europe, like Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland, were aggressively recruiting players.

    A similar concern was voiced by former Uber Cup star Retno Kustiyah who said Indonesia would need "at least three to four years to create a new world-class generation" of shuttlers.

    "Sony and Simon still need more experience in major tournaments abroad," she told The Jakarta Post by phone.

    "Most of our young players are lacking in both skill and experience. They need major training to improve their play, leaving only a few immediate hopefuls," said Retno, who now coaches for one of the top clubs in the country, Jaya Raya.

    "But it's unfair to put the brunt of the blame only on the PBSI. It's a two-sided issue where the young shuttlers must also show steady achievements in return," she said. Enditem