“This is a war”; these were the words from the head coach for T1, Yang “Daeny” Dae-in, during the LCK 2021 Summer Media day event.

Whenever someone embarks on a new journey, a person’s heart is filled with all kinds of emotions; from anticipation and excitement to fear and anxiety. Daeny always emphasized that the Summer split is the split that matters, and in an exclusive interview with Inven, he shared that the first week’s matches are the most important, and the ones that he’s looking forward to the most.

The 2021 LCK Summer split starts on June 9. T1’s week 1 opponents are against Hanwha Life Esports and DWG KIA. While Daeny wished that he was anxious about playing against the top dogs of the LCK, he was also anticipating great results against them.

“My ideal image of the team is for all five players to play while seeing the same things at the same time. I believe that our players are close to that goal. Before, whenever I had to explain a certain concept to the players, I had to provide them with three to four points of evidence. Now, even before I say anything, they already understand three of them, and are thinking about the fourth.”

Daeny thanked all the players for believing in his vision, and for unifying under that vision. He also shared that he was very satisfied with the team atmosphere and their individual level of skill.

“Our players’ individual forms and team atmosphere are looking very good. Keria’s no longer the rookie; he’s now the ‘LoL professor’. He’s incredibly good at looking at the bigger picture of the game, and his laning has improved even further. I can also say the same for Faker; he’s shown significant improvement since Spring.”

Daeny also shared that the starting five players for the Summer will not change. However, whether it may be for health issues or for tactical reasons, the starting roster can potentially change. He was more careful with his words than in his previous interviews, but his confidence hasn’t dwindled at all.

“Because pros have to prove their words with results, it’s never easy. However, I believe that the process matters just as much as the result, and if the process has been great, results will naturally follow. I’m incredibly satisfied with our preparation process for this Summer split. We’ve spent that time very efficiently, so I don’t think we’ll fail. My current mindset is the same as it has always been in the beginning of my tenure with T1, so I’ll prove it with great results. I know we’ll do well, and will bear the fruits of our hard work in the Summer split.”