In the post-match interview after the victory against DragonX, Faker made some noteworthy statements about the current situation at T1. Specifically, the Demon King admitted that he has some ideological differences with head coach Daeny, stemming from the differing approaches to game strategy between Faker and Coach Daeny.
Faker wants his teammates to play more proactively and boldly during the laning phase, while Daeny seems to prefer T1 to extend the game duration and focus on teamfights only when they have sufficient items. Faker asserted that he is not very satisfied with this playstyle, but since it is the choice of the majority of the team members, he will happily comply.
Faker’s comments stirred up debates regarding Coach Daeny’s coaching expertise, with many arguing that a passive playstyle waiting for late-game could be a double-edged sword for T1, as the team is currently struggling with weak laning and poor control of major objectives.
However, also in the interview after the match, the coach made statements that were equally controversial, with many opinions suggesting that the T1 captain was “clapping back” at Faker:
“We have reached a consensus on the strategy through our training process. If there are unexpected situations that break the strategic rules and lead to losses, it will have a very negative impact. To achieve victory, all players must adhere to the established rules and tactics. I am truly very disappointed when those rules are not followed, resulting in some unfortunate outcomes.”
In principle, Faker may have been wrong for not following the team’s overall strategy. He has also admitted this when talking about the hasty decision that led to him being solo-killed in the match against Nongshim RedForce. However, many viewers argue that Coach Daeny’s strategy is indeed unreasonable, and the results are reflecting that. Faker may have sensed this and did not want to follow that strategy, but the final decision still rests with the coach.