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The final day of IEM, this time around I am with Alex. You share the 3rd/4th place with Cloud 9. What do you make of this achievement and your performance?
Alex Ich: Essentially, our performance was alright, since we weren't quite prepared for the tournament. Our will to win and morale allowed us to get thus far.
We managed to challenge the Koreans. Should we win the second game, though should is such a word... we would get a morale boost for the third game.
I think that the Koreans were prepared really well for this tournament. Specifically, their strategical preparation was really good. Their individual skill might not be up to standard yet or altogether, due to their roster changes.
When it comes to strategy, they are quite interesting, and one could pick something up from them.
That's the first international tournament this year. There are teams from Korea, China, Europe, SEA. Did you manage to learn something from them? Something you haven't seen in Europe over the past couple of months.
Alex Ich: Essentially, SEA and China are somewhat similar. They play very aggressively, but their strategical aspect is lacking. For instance, in TPA only their mid laner was able to display something noteworthy.
As for Koreans, I don't think that they are so skilled, but when it comes to strategy they show a lot of interesting stuff. In terms of skill, the only one who stands out is inSec, just like before. He does the things no one else does.
Weren't you caught off guard? Lately inSec and the entire team weren't playing as well as they did in 2013.
Alex Ich: The games they played at OGN took place right after they had changed their roster. Essentially, losing to relatively weak teams at OGN forced them to think, and they dedicated a lot of time and effort to prepare for IEM.
I think it helped them a lot. Essentially, they should be able to perform at OGN and even make it out of the group stage. Even though they are not doing that well right now.
You met your principal opponent TPA twice at this tournament. Prior to that you managed to overcome them only once in your very first game at S2WC, but then they overcame you at IPL5, the first game at IEM Katowice, but you managed to end this losing streak.
What were your thoughts when you found out that the first team you face at IEM is TPA?
Alex Ich: It's obviously cool to overcome this brand, but it's not the same anymore, since there is only one player left from that roster. They have already disbanded. Don't know.
It would be better to avenge on the team itself. We didn't manage to do it, since they have already disbanded. Oh well, we had an influence on their disband. They disbanded due to overcoming us.
The first game was very rough, especially for you. What was your game plan and why did you pick Karthus?
Alex Ich: Essentially, Karthus is a strong pick, if he can survive until level 6. You transition to farming jungle and coming back to your lane when it's shoved.
That guy proved that he is relatively skilled. Upon gaining a small advantage he positioned himself between myself and the minions. Afterwards, having done a research and spoken to some people, I found out that he is basically the only person playing well on their team. He can win 1v9.
Therefore in the second game we decided to get a favourable match up for me, so I can be a lot stronger, and target all of our bans at him.
I noticed that lately you started approaching team fights a bit differently. For instance, in the first game against TPA, you tried to surround them from all possible angles. Was it a desperation move to turn the game around or is it your conscious choice you are working upon?
Alex Ich: Essentially, a lot of teams are working upon it. NiP's Zorozero approaches you from behind most of the time. That's the point of the current meta - top laner is split pushing all the time, which allows him to approach you from behind.
It allows you to create pressure on the map. If you consider this strategy, you can go back to S2WC, where I played Evelynn. Most of the time I was approaching our enemies from behind.
It's not something new, but when you are losing it's basically your only chance, since you cannot kill their front line. You have to eliminate their bot lane in order to try to somehow deal with someone like fed Renekton, who can almost kill you 1v5.
Let's talk about the future a bit, since this tournament is already over for you. The new thing this year is the format of All-Stars, which is not really All-Stars.
Every region is going to be represented by a single team. I think that it's one of the ways Riot Games are trying to solve a problem addressed by pro players.
Who really cares about the Spring Split? The only thing you should care about is to avoid getting eliminated. Do you think that it's a valid solution?
Alex Ich: If you consider who really cares about the Spring Split, the winner goes to All-Stars, but again, who really cares about it?
It's cool, you get a title, winning is good, etc. Most of the teams aren't aiming to win, they just care about top 6. The ones who are aiming for the first place are quite good already.
For instance, SK improved a lot and thus are competing. The real fight for the first place will take place in playoffs. The thing about the Spring Split is that the season itself means much less than playoffs.
Essentially, you should secure top 6, which allows you to compete in playoffs. There is a slight advantage for top 2 teams, but it would be better if the system was more balanced. If only top 4 team advanced to playoffs, there would be more tears, sweat, etc.
If we are to talk about All-Stars, we know for sure that Korea is going to be represented by SKT. I know that you wanted to play against Faker? Will you strive for this goal?
Alex Ich: I think that we are aiming for the first place regardless, since there is no point to aim for something else. If we manage to do it, we'll play against everyone, including Faker, TSM with Bjergsen from NA I think, therefore there should be good action in the mid lane, should be fun.
Lately there a lot of teams and players, for instance, LMQ, Bjergsen, Dexter, joining the NA scene. What do you make of this tendency?
Alex Ich: I think that it is a predominantly money related tendency. I don't think they get paid a lot in China, whereas I know that one can kill for $100. Therefore teams like LMQ come to NA, where they can earn more and thus they can help their families.
Top 4 players from China can reach the top in NA. Thanks to that they can find sponsors and make a good living. Same for Europe. For instance, for Snoopeh and co it's market development. Bjergsen and Dexter received a great offer from good teams and organizations.
Some just dream of living in the US, some will make a good living. Even if you take a look at streams, Bjergsen used to have 5,000 viewers and now he has 55,000 viewers.
I remember that recently in his interview for Inven, Diamond said that he would like to play in OGN, should it be possible. Do you share the same desire?
Alex Ich: Yes. I would love to live in the US, but play in OGN. I think that's the best way to put it. I like the climate in the US and everything that's going on there, based on our trips there.
Even the way LCS is organized, player oriented approach is on a higher level in NA compared to EU. OGN would be really interesting in terms of skill, strategies and development. I think it can provide a big boost for your performance as well as motivation. For instance, you get there and start losing a lot. It will make you realise that you are doing something wrong.
It will force you to change really quickly, and these changes will allow you to raise your level really high.
Lately a lot of EU and NA teams started following in Korean footsteps. They recruit coaches and analysts, start regularly working out to maintain physical and mental states. What do you make of it? Are you willing to follow in their footsteps as well?
Alex Ich: I think everyone will end up doing it. It's a good practice and we will refer to it as well. It takes time. You cannot find a coach and a manager, start working out and winning within a period of a single week.
It takes a month or so. It took almost a year for CLG to recruit MonteCristo and start winning. I think it's a good practice, since the less time you spend thinking, the more time you have for playing and improving your mechanical skill.
Sometimes it's nice to have a person with an outsider's perspective. When I was playing chess, it was useful to stand up and look at what's going on, since it allows you to see what you could not while sitting by the board.
If we are to talk about your team specifically, if you recruit a coach or an analyst, what kind of a role he has to play? Should he research your opponents? Should he look for something new in other scenes? Should he focus on improving your mechanical skill?
Alex Ich: The more he does, the better it is. Primarily, he should research our opponents and predict what are they going to do. It's really important and can benefit us. Secondly, the draft. Sometimes our actions make no sense.
We manage to pull ourselves together only at tournaments like IEM and thus don't make stupid mistakes during the draft. For instance, picking Karthus against TPA was a clear underestimation of our opponent or an overestimation of our own capabilities, which essentially is the same.
Hard to say. He must point at our weaknesses. Every problem can be solved by simply avoiding it. For instance, he can help us to figure out our strengths and to work on improving them even further.
There are a lot of things he can do depending on his personality and what he does best. The coach can be specialized in something and thus help on improving this aspect.
It's impossible to find a universal person, who can help you with everything, but the more he can do for you, the better it is.
After all, CLG's coach MonteCristo admits that he cannot play that well, but his knowledge allows him to work on the strategical aspect of the game.
Well, the tournament is over for you. What are you up to now?
Alex Ich: Right after this tournament we have a couple of days left for training and afterwards we are going to LCS. We have to prepare to face the teams we are playing against.
Then we have a small gap between two weeks and Super Week afterwards. After the Super Week will sit down to practice hard for playoffs, since we want to get the first place.
I hope that you will manage to achieve it. Thank you for this interview and thank you for watching.