Ma Long the "bad seed"?

[JustAlt]

Xu Xin I wouldn't expect to make it past the semi finals or more likely the quarter finals as it's the first time he'll ever compete in this tournament.

If only two Chinese play in singles, who do you think is going to beat Xu Xin in the quarter finals? Boll has a chance if Xu Xin isn't playing at his best but no-one else really does.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Why don't you guys just wait till Liu Gouliang announces the Chines team for the Olympics. A lot of what is being said here will sound terribly foolish if Liu chooses Ma Long for the singles team which I am sure he will. I think he sort of will have to choose Ma Long and Zhang Jike. They have showed tournament after tournament that they are #1 and 2. Both have beaten everyone else. They have met in more finals than anyone else. Jike has taken one of their showdowns and Ma Long has taken the rest. Jike is lucky that, last year in the World Championships, he faced Wang Hao and not Ma Long. And in the World Championships last year, Ma Long was dominating Wang Hao when Wang Hao changed his tactics and outsmarted Ma Long. He has not been able to do that lately.

Until Liu Gouliang chooses the team for the Olympics all that many of the posts on this thread sound like is useless complaining from people afraid that Ma Long will not get picked. When he gets picked your comments will seem ridiculous. If he does not get picked, then you will have a legitimate complaint.

 

[PlasmaLight]

well the thread wasnt about the olympics just if liu likes ma long or not ^^

 

[JustAlt]

well the thread wasnt about the olympics just if liu likes ma long or not ^^

I think the only thing this thread has done is showing that you like Ma Long...

 

[WiWa]

I think the only thing this thread has done is showing that you like Ma Long...

Haha. Well it seems that many people are big fans of Ma Long on this forum And there is many reason to be indeed. I guess Carl is right that Zhang and Ma are the strongest players right now for the CNT, and it would seem logic they go to London, and there they can decide who has the nerves to take it all the way. This will be Zhang of course He has given Ma Long many wins so that in the Olympic final Ma Long will feel much pressure to win that one as well, and he will CHOKE

 

[PlasmaLight]

I think the only thing this thread has done is showing that you like Ma Long...

everybody loves ma long but thats not the point of the topic

 

[haris]

i don't think Ma Long was so powerful last year. also since summer he has very stable performance. well he won so many tours, and lost from Zhang 4-3.

this year is on fire...

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

Of course Liu Gouliang likes Ma Long. Ma Long is hard not to like. Gouliang is a coach. Part of his job, at a certain point is to be tough on them and push them to keep learning and improving. Look what happened to Mike Tyson at the top of his career when he thought he was so good he no longer needed the guy who was doing that to him. A coach pushes his protégées and is tough with them, but it is not because he does not like them; it is specifically because he thinks they can handle it, they are ready for it, and therefore, because he actually does like them.

You guys should know that. And if you have ever trained with a Chinese coach, they can be very much like this. There is a whole traditional thing that goes back to Kung Fu and Chinese medicine where the teacher is a strict disciplinarian. You know, old school tough love.

 

[PlasmaLight]

yeah but i never see liu so strict with ma lin or wang hao .. ma lin is playing very bad at the moment ...often on a way to lose a match and liu is clapping an smiling. ma long destroys every opponent and liu has a cold face and roasts him afterwards. thats what i see

 

[WiWa]

yeah but i never see liu so strict with ma lin or wang hao .. ma lin is playing very bad at the moment ...often on a way to lose a match and liu is clapping an smiling. ma long destroys every opponent and liu has a cold face and roasts him afterwards. thats what i see

It's what they call a colored vision But psychologically it is not that weird in fact. Ma Lin has proven himself, LGL needs to approve of him and make him feel good so that he regains his confidence and form. Ma Long has to prove himself, LGL has to be tough on him so that he can show his true mental strength will become clear.

 

[Tadex]

Ma Lin and Wang Hao are entering the twilight of their careers, Ma Long and Zhang Jike are entering their peak. Of course as the coach you'd be spending more time on the players on the up rather than the players on the down.

Also, LGL has probably said the things he has to say to Ma Long a million times to Wang Hao and Ma Lin over the years so there's nothing to tell them other than encouragement and a little reminder.

 

[UpSideDownCarl]

It's what they call a colored vision But psychologically it is not that weird in fact. Ma Lin has proven himself, LGL needs to approve of him and make him feel good so that he regains his confidence and form. Ma Long has to prove himself, LGL has to be tough on him so that he can show his true mental strength will become clear.

Yep, this is right on WiWa. And it goes right with what I said about bowing to the discipline of the master/teacher.