Ronel “Stronger” Tan has arguably made one of the most significant transitions this season, shifting from being a professional player in League of Legends Wild Rift to taking up the coaching position for Smart Omega in the upcoming MPL Philippines Season 12.
Having secured multiple championships during his time as a player, Stronger brings experience and a winning mentality to the squad, which has fallen short of the top four in the last two seasons.
“Excited ako dahil mahilig talaga ako mag compete sa kahit anong esports,” Stronger told Tiebreaker Times.
The 30-year-old, who transitioned from player to coach, admitted that entering the MLBB scene posed a challenge. However, he had a supportive network guiding him in this new role, particularly former Smart Omega coach Tony “Ynot” Senedrin.
“Masaya at challenging yung pagcocoach ng team sa ML dahil dumating ako sa scene ng established na siya,” he said.
“Walang pressure dahil kasama ko yung team at organization para paghandaan ang MPL Season 12.”
Expectations are lofty for Smart Omega with the return of MSC 2021 champions Patrick “E2max” Caidic and Joshua “Ch4knu” Mangilog to the roster. E2max took on the coaching role in Season 11, while Ch4knu chose to take a break last season.
However, it remains intriguing how Stronger will leverage the talents of MSC 2021 MVP Duane “Kelra” Pillas, who recently transitioned to the jungler role in their recent tournaments.
All will be unveiled once Season 12 kicks off.
