As they entered the winners’ finals, many fans expressed concerns for SofM’s squad. While GAM Esports had too many gaps with Blazes and Pyshiro absent, Team Secret had quality alternatives for the players who needed to serve additional investigations. In fact, during the obliteration of Team Whales, fans were surprised to see Taki and Hiro02 perform well in their new roles. Even with a champion like Senna, who leans towards a Support Marksman, Taki reminded many of his idol – T1’s Support Keria.
And indeed, after the first game was so one-sided, many believed that VKE might have to drop to the losers’ bracket. But at that moment, the caliber of the experienced players, led by SofM, spoke volumes. The atomic trio of SofM – Shogun – Kati played calmly and decisively in every play, completely annihilating TS in all three winning games. VKE became the first name to enter the finals of VCS Spring 2024 and also has a 50% chance to participate in the upcoming MSI 2024.
Notably, SofM’s presence at VKE in the role of a player has led fans to notice a striking similarity: the chairman, coach, and player of VKE bears a strong resemblance to Faker. Specifically, one fan even stated: “SofM joins VKE, from a fourth-place team struggling to make playoffs to potentially attending MSI. So saying his influence is comparable to Faker’s at T1 isn’t too far off, right?”
SofM’s influence is not limited to his professional role; his leadership guiding VKE to victories speaks volumes. VKE has displayed incredibly scientific movement and precise macro play in their matches – a factor that rarely appeared when VKE competed in the group stage. Moreover, the current lineup of VKE includes an “unknown” player who has never even graced the professional League of Legends map in Vietnam: Fireblade. Yet, under SofM’s mentorship, this player could become the first “unknown” player to debut and win the VCS while attending MSI.
SofM’s arrival has fostered a cohesive unit that plays scientifically and showcases the abilities of each member. This is strikingly similar to Faker at T1, especially in the Summer 2023. When Faker was absent, the remaining four members left many in disbelief, not resembling the 2022 World Championship runners-up. But once Faker returned, T1 raced straight to the 2023 World Championship title. SofM’s impact might even be more significant, as it is clear that within VKE’s lineup, aside from a few members like Kati or Shogun (and SofM), the other two members do not stand out compared to the average level. In contrast, T1’s young players have already displayed very high skill levels compared to their LCK counterparts.
SofM’s influence is now undeniable. If he can win the VCS for the first time and attend MSI 2024 as a player, it will mark another important milestone in the career of the 2020 World Championship runner-up, in what is perhaps the most turbulent season in League of Legends history.