"I think it's a big blow that he's leaving," five-time English champion Ouseph told insidethegames

"He's taught me a lot but hopefully if I can continue with the tone that he's set and with all the experience he has given me I think I'm in a good place to try and build on where I am now, but it's definitely a blow that he's leaving."

The former European champion Jonassen will step down following the World Championships in Guangzhou, China, this August to take up a role in the badminton setup in his native Denmark due to personal reasons.

National champion Rajiv Ouseph has described coach Kenneth Janssen's impending departure as "a big loss"

"Kenneth is having to return home for family reasons and I completely understand his situation." said GB Badminton Performance Director and compatriot Jens Grill.

"I wish we could have kept him through the next important phase for GB Badminton but before he leaves, Kenneth is determined to sign off with us on a high note at the
World Championships in China in the summer after which he will take up a new role with Badminton Denmark and we will wish him well.

"But the future is really bright for us and we are delighted with the impact that our new head doubles coach, Jakob Hoi, has made in such a short space of time where his presence has already been felt by the players in a very big and exciting way."

Hoi, another Danish import to the GB Badminton set-up, coached the German doubles team that reached the quarter-finals at London 2012, and has already led men's doubles team Chris Adcock and Andrew Ellis to their first victory over Danish world number one pair, Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen at the European Championships last week.

Chris Adcock (foreground) and Andy Ellis (background) defeated the Danish world number ones last weekend under doubles coach Jakob Hoi's mentorship

"It gives us a lot of confidence" Hoi told insidethegames when asked how much of an impact the win over the world number ones would have on his team going into the All-England Championships at the Birmingham National Indoor Arena next month.

"Having a good win over the world number one men's doubles team is nice and of course, me, coming from Denmark, I'm very proud of what I'm doing, and Kenneth is the same"

"[Jonassen] is going to be a loss of course, there's no absolutely doubt about it, because he is so much more than a good coach and a good person, he brings a lot of personality and experience."

"But like any other business we will find a new person, we will find new ways; we just have to get the best out of him while we still have him"

"I know Kenneth, he's a professional guy and he will bring his very best right to the end here, so I don't have any worries about that, and we're going to have his resources here until the worlds and we're going to make the best of them."

Jonassen explained the reasons for his departure and paid tribute to the athletes and coaches from GB Badminton in a statement. 

"I am sorry I cannot stay longer to finish what I have started but together with my wife, the family have decided that it was the right time to return to Denmark." he said

"I have enjoyed my time working with the GB squad, with the coaches and the staff here at the NBC (National Badminton Centre) and the responsibility given to me."

"I am also grateful for the investment into my personal development enabled by both Jens Grill and UK Sport."

"I will have been in England for three years after the World Championships this summer – three great years – and it will be a time I will never forget. "

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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