At the VCS Spring 2024, Vikings Esports led by SofM is a team that has garnered a lot of expectations. Not only did they take the place of Saigon Buffalo, VKE led by SofM also brings together a roster deemed strong enough to compete for the title. Among them, Kati and Shogun are two seasoned players who have seen battles both domestically and internationally. Notably, the co-owner of the team is SofM (who has also taken on the role of Head Coach) – the only Vietnamese player to have ever been a runner-up at the World Championship.
However, it can be said that VKE’s performance so far has not been truly convincing. SofM’s team currently stands at 4th place with a record of 4 wins and 4 losses. For a team like VKE, their ambitions surely go beyond just making it to the playoffs. However, in matches against bigger teams, VKE has not shown that they can truly contend for the title. As a result, this team is generally underperforming compared to the initial expectations of the VCS audience when they announced the roster.
SofM himself may also be under considerable pressure due to his players’ poor performances. Recently, the VCS page posted a clip of Coach SofM delivering a harsh critique of his teammates. Although the specific match this was from has yet to be determined, many speculate it could be the showdown between VKE and Team Secret. In that match, VKE unfortunately lost 0-2. Notably, jungler Gury in that match repeatedly missed crucial objectives while competing against Qiang.
Specifically, SofM expressed some tense words towards his players: “You all need to have an ever-increasing spirit while playing. If you don’t win today, you must win tomorrow. But today, I am very disappointed with game 1 and game 2. I don’t know if everyone plays for fun or for results. I don’t know if everyone wants to play for 2 to 3 more years or 5 to 10 years, or just for this season. But today, I am very disappointed.”
Clearly, SofM’s mood reflects the feelings of many fans supporting VKE. This is because the team has yet to showcase any standout performances, primarily relying on the skills of players like Kati and Shogun. While VKE is a new roster, aside from the aspect of cohesion, the players’ form has not been at its peak. And if they are not careful, VKE risks being pushed out of the playoff contention altogether.