Team Secret roster changes indicate ‘Do well or get kicked’ Dota 2 Esports

Team Secret has recently undergone significant changes in their Dota 2 roster, bidding farewell to their midlaner Zheng “MidOne” Yek Nai and the support Daniyal “yamich” Lazebny. This decision was made after a mere two months of their association, and the official announcement of the roster changes was made via Twitter.

New Additions to Team Secret Dota 2

In place of MidOne and yamich, Team Secret has introduced two new players, who might not be too popular within the Dota 2 community yet, but have been stomping the Immortal rank pubs.
Teng “Kordan” Tjin Yao, who previously represented Bleed Esports, will now fill the midlaner position. Team Secret has introduced him as a “young and promising SEA pub star.” Meanwhile, Marcel “Ekki” Hołowienko has taken over the support role previously held by yamich. Ekki previously served as a coach for Team Secret from March to September 2023 and had a short stint with TSM too.

“Do well or get kicked” Dota 2

Notably, this marks a significant change for MidOne, who had previously played for Team Secret for over three years, from 2016 to 2019. He returned to the European team this time for just two months, making it a relatively short-lived stint. During their brief time together, the team only managed to qualify for the ESL One Kuala Lumpur 2023, where they finished in 7th-8th place.

This is yet another testament to the current state of competitive Dota 2, where Dota 2 roster shuffles have become unhinged. Without consequences when a roster change occurs, team managements are more accepting of kicking players immediately after a bad performance. Hence, as pros deal with a tougher, more competitive scene in 2024 without the DPC, it begs the question: Will Dota 2 Esports become more exciting or unsustainable?

The Future of Team Secret

On the other hand, with the inclusion of Kordan and Ekki, Team Secret’s future now lies in the hands of these young professionals with limited experience at the highest level of competition. Perhaps one could argue that the flexibility in roster shuffling has enabled teams to offer opportunities to new players for a change.

Kordan gained recognition last season when he joined a star-studded Bleed Esports squad, although the team’s performance was somewhat inconsistent, except for one successful DPC Tour that led to qualification for the Bali Major. Ekki, despite his relatively young age, has already gained experience as a coach and assistant coach for teams like The Cut, TSM, and Secret. Now, he is embarking on a new journey as a player in a tier-one lineup after several stand-in roles as a support player.

Puppey’s Optimistic Outlook

Just take it from Team Secret’s captain, Clement “Puppey” Ivanov, who has shown an optimistic outlook on leading this new batch of players. He believes that having a less experienced roster can relieve the pressure and allow for continuous improvement. Puppey expressed concerns about the lack of tournaments in the Dota 2 scene, making it challenging for teams to gain valuable experience.

In his own words, Puppey stated,

“I don’t give a sh!t. Weakest roster is good because nobody cares what you’re doing, and there are no expectations. So, at least, you can fail and work again.”

He emphasized the need for more tournaments to provide opportunities for teams to grow and gain experience.

Puppey’s willingness to embrace and nurture young talent within Team Secret could potentially lead to the creation of a new Western European superteam, injecting fresh blood into a scene dominated by seasoned players whose prime years may be behind them.

The updated Team Secret roster made its debut in the closed qualification for BetBoom Dacha Dubai 2024, which has been ongoing since January 7. While there is excitement to see how this new Secret lineup performs, it is important to keep expectations in check, especially for a team with such limited experience at this level of competition.