Thus, after many years of waiting, since the defeat at the 2017 World Championship finals against Samsung Galaxy, Faker has reached glory once again at the 2023 World Championship. The journey of over 6 years is quite long for a player, and the young man from back then is now referred to as a “veteran.” He is no longer the younger brother surrounded by veterans like MaRin and Bang… but has become a pillar for his teammates – an indispensable name in the glory of T1.
However, Faker’s time as a player is clearly not much longer, even though his contract will last until 2025. In fact, if T1 completes the “Golden Road” next year, Faker may consider retiring at the age of 28 – an age not too early for an Esports player. And right now, on some forums, a topic has emerged: “Can Faker succeed as a coach like he did as a player?”.
In fact, it is not uncommon for former legendary players to transition into coaching roles. The “third summoner spell of Faker” – Bengi was also the head coach of T1 last year. Before Bengi, there have been many such cases around the world. The first advantage when Faker transitions into coaching is his reputation and understanding of the “T1 culture” will be greatly beneficial. Not to mention, Faker is seen as a role model and inspiration for many League of Legends players. Therefore, fans may not have to worry about backstage issues.
Regarding expertise, Faker is also very knowledgeable about League of Legends, especially in the professional environment. After all, he is currently the longest-serving player in the LCK. And Faker himself has stated that he reads patch notes very carefully to stay updated on the meta, gameplay, strengths and weaknesses of each champion… Therefore, from a professional standpoint, this should not be an issue.
However, according to some opinions, Faker has a perfectionist streak and a very high professional spirit. Therefore, many people are concerned that players under his coaching will always have to be in a state of high concentration, which could lead to pressure and stress. This is also seen as a factor that could affect Faker if he transitions to coaching.
Of course, that will be a story for the future, and it is not certain that Faker wants to become a League of Legends coach. But if that day comes, Faker’s team could achieve success, but he will also have to balance his coaching style. And that will be a scenario that many League of Legends fans are looking forward to witnessing.