Aeon: “When I joined Team Liquid PH, I was struck by the incredibly tight schedule the esports players had.”
Team Liquid PH head coach Ong Wei “Aeon” Shen and his assistant Allek Monser Alvarado “SN4P” Alberto appeared on the 8G podcast on the Wolf Casts YouTube channel, where they explained the dynamics between the team’s coaches and players and recalled the moment when the esports athletes began to trust SN4P’s drafts.
On the relationship between coaches and players at Team Liquid PH
SN4P: This team is truly... It’s pretty easy to get along with them, unlike most others. It was a bit of a culture shock for me. Our esports players don’t have any bad habits. All they want is to play and win. Of course, they have some bad habits, but they’re insignificant, just like with regular people. This situation suits us perfectly.
All that’s required of a coach is not to be stupid. Our players don’t like talking to stupid people. You also need to read the room and demonstrate your work ethic, and have a thirst for improvement. Only then will Team Liquid PH start to trust you.
I can’t say exactly when I earned their recognition. The management needed a good drafter so the players could just play and not get distracted by other things. A good drafter was absolutely essential for the club. And I fit those requirements.
On building trust in the coaches’ drafts
SN4P: I think the turning point in our relationship was the Asian Games qualifiers. The first games of the tournament weren’t the best; the players didn’t trust the drafts. So I told them to trust me and my decisions. All 14 games in a row were played according to my strategies; the team sometimes didn’t even understand the logic behind some of the picks. But they worked. On paper, the heroes didn’t look that strong, but they performed well. After winning the Asian Games, we were surprised to find that we had taken first place in the competition. There were setbacks too—like the loss to Aurora Hunters. I decided to pick Lilia, but she turned out to be a bad pick. I’m grateful to the players for trying to win even with that draft.
After winning the qualifiers, I went to the shower and cried for an hour. It was truly something special; I was happy that we were able to win thanks to my work and ideas.
On Team Liquid PH’s training overhaul
Aeon: When I joined Team Liquid PH, I was struck by the incredibly packed schedule of the esports players. In Singapore, where I’m from, people work hard, but afterward, they make sure to rest and recover. Most Singaporeans are like that and maintain a balance between work and rest. That’s why I decided to reform the players’ schedule, because it didn’t align with my vision. I also realized that some team members didn’t have enough time to spend with their partners, families, and other things.
I decided to bring Singapore’s “work ethic” to the team. I explained to the players that good results in scrims and achieving our goals would lead to rest and breaks from gaming. We even cancel our scrims if we feel we’ve practiced enough. I apologize to our scrim partners for this.
- Read also: Aeon: “I first launched Mobile Legends: Bang Bang while serving in the army. That was in 2017.”
Earlier, Aeon and SN4P discussed Team Liquid PH’s players and management on the 8G podcast, speculated on the reasons behind the decline in the level of play on the Singaporean Mobile Legends: Bang Bang pro scene, and shared the story of how their relationship and collaboration began.
Photo — Ong Wei “Aeon” Shen.
