ChuaN spoke on the broadcast about his new role as the team’s coach and his return to Dota 2.
SEA is one of the most competitive regions in the Dota Pro Circuit and every match is important here. Week 2 of the DPC saw Neon face off against Execration, an exciting series that went the distance.
After some phenomenal performances last year, Neon esports saw significant changes to its roster this year. Bringing in three new players, Neon also added legendary TI winner, Wong "ChuaN" Hock Chuan, as the team coach. ChuaN won as part of Invictus Gaming, taking down tournament favorites Natus Vincere.
Is your keyboard broken? I think your letter G is broken
The first game was all about timing, and Neon utilized their night-time smartly. The constant aggression during night allowed Neon to widen the net worth and gain an XP advantage as well. Game 2 was over in just 26 minutes, but this time, Execration’s Mark Anthony "Bob" Urbina had a phenomenal performance on the Ember Spirit. With a Blink-Maelstorm, there was no catching the elusive spirit. To be fair, Neon pulled out a Broodmother pick in Game 2, and it didn’t work out as intended.
Picking elusive heroes such as Phantom Lancer, Queen of Pain and Weaver, Neon esports had a strong start in Game 3. While the match dragged on for 31 minutes, the Neon was always in control.
One of the funnier moments during the game was when Asta typed in all chat asking if the Execration players’ G button was broken on their keyboard. It was all in good fun and some friendly banter is always exciting.
With this loss, Execration are now 0-2 in the group, while Neon esports is 1-1 and in the middle of the pack. The top six teams retain their position in the Division 1, so Execration have their task cut out for them.
ChuaN sheds light on coaching Neon and their goals
In the post-match interview, Dota 2 fans got to see a familiar face on the broadcast. It was the TI2 winner, ChuaN, who is now Neon’s coach. ChuaN spoke about his retirement and now his new role as Neon's coach. He gave us a glimpse into his coaching style and some short-term objectives for the team.
“I retired for a few years and then it felt boring. Because if you don't play Dota, you don't play a tournament, it's like missing something in your life.”
A lot of Dota 2 players would agree.
“I contacted several teams and I tried to see which teams require a coach. OB.Neon replied back.”
In his new role as the team’s coach, one of the primary objectives is for Neon to remain in Division 1. This is a brand new roster with talented players and ChuaN’s guidance and experience is clearly having a positive impact on the team's performance.
“We just want to stay in Division 1. If we can go to the Major, that's a bonus, but just try our best and play step by step.”
But ChuaN’s coaching style allows the players to develop their own skills and further enhance their playstyle.
“I just let them play what they used to play. We just play our best heroes, our comfort picks.”
Neon esports will face BOOM next week, a challenging match against one of the best SEA has to offer. Till then, they can enjoy some Ramen.
Stay tuned to esports.gg for the latest Dota 2 news and updates.