TSM, one of the most successful teams in the NA LCS, is looking for new assistant coaches to join their staff.
We're hiring Assistant Coach(es) for our League of Legends team. See below for more details on the position and how to apply: https://t.co/KQNyALgakV pic.twitter.com/kS1OolSsLO
— TSM FTX (@TSM) October 29, 2018
TSM is looking to retool after their relatively disappointing 2019, where they would fail to reach Worlds for the first time in the organization’s history. In fact, TSM would place third in the Spring Split but drop to Clutch Gaming in the quarterfinals of the Playoffs. In the Summer Split, they would perform even worse. The team would end in fifth place and settling for a third-place finish in the Playoffs. Afterward, TSM would face off against Cloud9 to decide who would go to Worlds. Unfortunately, they would lose in a sweep to the eventual Worlds semifinalists. It is the worst year in TSM’s history, and finding the right coaching staff should be a priority.
TSM needs a strong foundation
It is clear that TSM does not need talent on the roster. They do boast one of the best lineups on paper in the NA LCS. Even though the team would have a rough year, Søren “Bjergsen” Bjerg is still an amazing midlaner. Kevin “Hauntzer” Yarnell has the ability to be the best top laner in the region. Meanwhile, the bottom lane of Jesper “Zven” Svenningsen and Alfonso “Mithy” Aguirre RodrÃguez were once considered the best in the West. The only question mark on the team is the jungle, where Jonathan “Grig” Armao has shown flashes of brilliance but has been mediocre for most of 2018.
Besides that, TSM’s ceiling is still very high, and the potential to be a top-tier team is still there. However, it is also clear that a change of mindset is in-store for the perennial NA LCS champs. They would begin their coaching overhaul from the top, by releasing coach Kim “SSONG” Sang-soo. It was clear that his coaching was not helping much during the season. Additionally, the change for a more aggressive, proactive style of play came way too late. However, change is good for TSM fans, as this squad has had the same problem for many splits. Their passive style of play is now obsolete, and they must adapt now or fall.
What new coaches must bring
As a coach of TSM, there will be huge expectations from both the management and the fans. However, whoever TSM decides to hire mustn’t be scared to hold players accountable. One big issue that TSM has is that Bjergsen, who has fallen into a very passive playstyle, will influence the entire team. Therefore, the rest of the roster will become passive, and the team will play passively as a result. The coaches must stress that a slow, reactive style is outdated. If we look at teams like Cloud9, Fnatic and Team Vitality, a more aggressive approach is much more effective in today’s League of Legends.
Again, the amount of pressure on the new staff will be immense. Also, they need to figure out their jungler situation, because Grig may not be cutting it. Dedicating themselves to a more aggressive playstyle could work wonders for them with an aggressive jungler. All in all, if this new coaching staff can help enable TSM to reach the heights they’ve always had, TSM could reach the apex of the NA LCS again.
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