Rumors circulated after coach Archie “Tictac” Reyes was noticeably absent from the roster of defending champion Team Liquid PH (TLPH) at the start of MPL Philippines Season 14.
In Week 1, Ronnel “Cjay” Espinoza took on the coaching role in Tictac’s absence, leading the team on stage.
Earlier this week, TLPH made a significant announcement regarding their coaching staff, reinstating Tictac as head coach and adding former player Eric “Cyre” Mercader as an assistant coach.
This move addressed the speculation and clarified the team’s coaching situation.
In an exclusive interview with Tiebreaker Times, Tictac set the record straight about his absence.
He explained that he had simply requested a break for family time, which the team granted.
“Actually, medyo nagpahinga ako para sa family time. Kasi sunod sunod yung tournaments namin eh, dalawang international. Luckily binigyan ako ng TLPH ng break na two weeks,” he said.
Despite not being on the sidelines, Tictac was pleased with Cjay’s performance in his absence.
He praised Cjay for his effective leadership and strategic decisions, which contributed to TLPH’s first win in their campaign to retain the championship.
“Maganda yung pinapakita ng team dahil din sa kanya, sa mga drafts and techniques na binibigay sa team. Tingin ko goods na goods yung performance niya the past week,” Tictac commented.
With Tictac’s return and the addition of Cyre to the coaching staff, TLPH is now poised to focus on their goal: avenging their grand finals losses to Falcons AP Bren in the previous two international tournaments.
