Not HLE or Gen.G, but FOX Made T1’s Coaching Staff “Awake”
During the LCK Cup 2025, T1 unexpectedly implemented a roster rotation policy. However, after that, the only team that was allowed to practice was Smash, while Gumayusi was left to rank up and… watch scrims. The aftermath led to numerous controversies without resolution, and for the 2025 Regular Seasons, things remained unchanged.
However, in the third game against BNK FearX recently, T1 surprised everyone by letting Gumayusi play despite having substantial evidence from fans indicating that Gumayusi hadn’t been scrimming enough. The loss was a significant blow for T1. But FOX—a name everyone knows—has made T1’s coaching staff “wake up” due to their own flawed policy.
First of all, League of Legends is unique in that it is unlike any other sport where a player can be substituted in the final minutes, hoping to create a miracle. For example, in football, during practice, players typically spend time training with the main roster. And sometimes, the main roster might be absent, allowing even players on the bench to take the spotlight during practice.
But such scenarios cannot happen in League of Legends. Each scrim session typically isn’t long, and only the main roster scrims against each other. Other teams also don’t agree to continue swapping players frequently, as it would disrupt their momentum during the short scrim sessions.
Moreover, bringing Gumayusi into the game without any proper preparation beforehand could lead to critical repercussions for this team. Gumayusi is an outstanding AD Carry, arguably the best in the current scene. However, he is certainly not a “superhuman” capable of performing miracles in a situation where scrimming is limited.
And the impact on T1’s overall results is increasingly noticeable. Although Keria is considered a “genius,” he too cannot adapt quickly enough to continually swap AD Carries during a match. Likewise, Gumayusi, with limited scrim experience, now faces additional pressure when he has to sit out if the team fails.
T1 Must Stabilize Their Roster Immediately
As of now, there are already three teams that have beaten T1, and among them, FOX stands out as a surprising name. However, it is clear that FOX currently has a stable lineup. It’s only this issue that has created a gap compared to T1.
Meanwhile, there are rumors that the major teams are not just focusing on results but also on maintaining morale and mental stability. No team can succeed with a constantly changing lineup. T1 understands this well and must stabilize their roster now if they do not want to falter in this year’s season.
