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Arthur: "Execration Has Everything To Win At EWC"
In part two of our interview with Execration coach Leon "Arthur" Lee, we talk about the team dynamics. All the players are from the Philippines, which comes with it's own benefits. He also shared his goals regarding EWC and how it feels to be in arguably the hardest group at the tournament.
Arthur: "Before EWC, we struggled looking at the game through the same lens"
Bringing together a group of talented individuals and getting them to all work together can be a challenge. But that's the Coach's job. Arthur expected to spend a lot of time setting up drafts and researching opponents. He didn't anticipate how much team building he'd also have to do.
"Obviously you have like relationship issues as well like player between player. As coach you have to solve that, because Filipinos their culture is a little bit more reserved when it comes to this. They don't talk one-on-one too much so they need someone to be a bridge. They don't really like to confront. Before EWC, we struggled looking at the game through the same lens. I think this is probably a struggle that a lot of teams face as well. That is like the outside of the Dota thing that you need to fix."
Working together requires trust between members. That's not something that happens overnight. It's a long process that happens step by step.
One advantage that Execration has, is that all their players are from the Philippines, making it a little easier to find things and activities the whole team enjos.
"Food bonds us a lot. A very cute culture there is they would always eat together. This is not some rule that made up by management, it's their culture. For example right some our food will be ready 12 p.m. always and then if someone is still in a pub game at 12, we all wait and everyone will be willing to wait. And then if you finish a pub at 11:45 they would just chill for a little bit, because they know that it's lunchtime soon and they don't want others to wait for them."
Arthur: "Execration is the greenest team in terms of experience."
Execration had an incredible run at the EWC qualifiers, taking the only spot in South East Asia. However, things didn't pan out as well for their International run. They lost to both BOOM Esports and Team Nemesis, the eventual qualifiers.
We asked Arthur about what happened at their TI run, and he said it came down to the team feeling satiated with securing EWC invite.
"For us to find the consistency is something that is really difficult. We may not know what exactly is making it difficult but now I think we know a little bit, because I do feel like we were very honest with this with ourselves as well after we qualified to EWC. We definitely lost our edge a little. I feel like people are not that hungry as before. Doesn't matter how much we want to say that we are as hungry and this is something that nobody denied as well, we all admit it but particularly from who, we don't care, it was entire team."
Execration is in Group B for the Esports World Cup. It is seen as one of the hardest groups to compete in, with heavy lifters such as Team Falcons, BetBoom Team, and former champions Gaimin Gladiators.
Despite the intense competition they face, Arthur had an unexpected answer to finding out who Execration are facing.
"Excited, really excited. I feel like as Execration, going in everyone is going to put us 15th, 16th and I wouldn't be surprised by it. I'd be surprised if anyone put us any further. Because realistically, we are the greenest team in terms of experience. We have never went to any Europe tournaments at all, zero experience against anyone from the tournament. So I think there's nothing for us to lose to be quite frank. And there's everything for us to win. I think we will be one of the teams that's able to learn the most. That's going that's going to be our main goal going into."
We will keep our eyes on Execration and hope they go far. It wouldn't be the first time a green team went on to win the biggest tournament of the year.
If you want to hear more from Arthur, check out our full interview on youtube.
READ MORE: Ian Nepomniachtchi Loves Dota 2 More Than Chess
Featured Image Source: Execration
