As a character deeply passionate about League of Legends in Vietnam, Teacher Ba has not spared any expense, effort, time, or hope in establishing SBTC Esports. However, since their debut at the start of the 2021 season and until the conclusion of the VCS Winter 2021, all that remains is the phrase “disappointment.” Not only did SE perform poorly, but they also left behind “more infamy than fame,” holding two records: the team with the most penalties and the first and only team in VCS history to have a player issued a global ban for inappropriate comments.
But Teacher Ba has not given up despite two failures. Recently, transfer news related to SE has become a major topic of interest within the VCS community. On January 10, SE announced their new jungle duo, DNK and Spot. These are two players well-known to anyone who regularly follows VCS. According to reports from Lolpedia, there will be more names joining to form a second Dream Team for SE. While there is much hope, many SE fans are also concerned about these new players.
“The Black Sheep” Spot
Firstly, it can be seen that SE has brought in a version that can be considered equally “notorious” as Zeros. If the former SE star had the bad habit of often attacking GAM Esports and speaking thoughtlessly, as well as exhibiting unprofessional behavior such as not adhering to training schedules and a penchant for showing off, Spot is even more severe. Remember, Zeros has never been accused by any team of sabotaging internally or inciting other players to leave the team, but Spot has. He was even referred to as GAM’s “black sheep” during his time with the VCS Spring 2021 champions. To the extent that the VCS organizers had to issue penalties, and GAM threatened to make Spot compensate for damages.
Bringing Spot in, Teacher Ba accepts to introduce another “ticking time bomb” to the team. Not to mention, in terms of performance and skill, Spot may not even match Zeros before his global ban. Spot has been playing in VCS B for some time now, and this return is his first chance to breathe the air of VCS A after serving his punishment. Therefore, the performance and attitude of this player are significant questions.
The Remaining Names
One clear observation is that the names mentioned in the list of confirmed players joining SE from Lolpedia did not have a stable Winter season in terms of both performance and results. Palette and Team Flash were eliminated from the playoffs even before the group stage ended. DNK with Team Secret fared similarly, finishing in sixth place. Simon didn’t even compete for a spot with Nagiya, while 2T only played one game in GAM’s series. It can be said that, nominally a new generation, these names leave behind significant doubts.
It is hard to trust that Simon can compete for a spot with NPer – a player who has not performed well recently but is familiar with Coach Sergh’s training style. Can Palette still be the best Support in VCS like he was during his time with GAM or TF? Has DNK gotten over the shock of finishing near the bottom in the recent VCS Winter? Not to mention, many believe that 2T is just a temporary solution for SE while waiting for Dia1’s return.
Coaching Style of Coach Sergh
During the early season when SE faced its first challenges, they released a few clips documenting behind-the-scenes moments during their match against GAM in the VCS Winter 2021. It was clearly visible that Coach Sergh was not as lenient as Coach Violet; he “fired straight” at each player, whether they were veterans like CBL or young players like NPer. SE fans were quite amused at the time, believing that only strictness could bring SE back to form.
However, the new students of Coach Sergh will be DNK, Spot, Palette, 2T, Simon, and Vinboiz. While Palette is well-acquainted with Coach Sergh, the others like 2T, Simon, and Vinboiz have almost no chance to “rebel” against the coach, yet DNK and Spot are two very strong personalities with high egos. As mentioned earlier, Spot has a “history” of rebelling against the entire team, and DNK has also been known for his intense trash talk in the past. As for Coach Sergh, his coaching style fits the goal of bringing players back into line. But as Teacher Ba himself noted in a reaction video to SE, Coach Sergh should temper his approach a bit. If too many strong personalities converge in one place without a common direction, internal discord is bound to occur.
Of course, the new season hasn’t truly begun yet, and thus, all analyses or predictions will remain theoretical. However, the realities indicate that SE has many potential “ticking time bombs” in the future. If the SE management is not truly skillful and the players do not cultivate a professional attitude, the new generation could easily turn into a “new circus” with just one dramatic incident.