Surprise! Johnmar “OHMYV33NUS” Villaluna, the ex-captain of Blacklist International’s Mobile Legends: Bang Bang squad, recently dropped some thoughts about the latest Filipino frenzy in the MLBB Pro League Indonesia. And he’s a bit worried about how this trend might mess with the competition back home in the Philippines in the long haul.
In the latest episode of the Trio podcast, the Blacklist International icon highlighted the significant shifts occurring within international teams, emphasizing a prioritization of coach acquisitions over importing players. V33NUS candidly admitted his unease with this trend as it could further enhance the development of international teams.
“You know, this is what I am afraid of. I told this to Wise, what if International teams really want to get stronger or if they really want to change their systems? What they need to hire is a coach,” said V33NUS. “Getting (PH) players is just a bonus. But if you really want your organization to step up or adopt what the PH teams are doing now, then what you need is a coach.”
V33NUS pointed to Indonesia as a prime example of this evolving trend, noting the entry of esteemed coaches such as John “Theo” Eusebio and Vrendon “Vren” Lim. He underscored the impact of Paul “Yeb” Denver’s success, deeming it the benchmark for regional competition and positing Indonesia’s potential to rival the Philippines in the future.
“That is what is happening in Indo now. Coach Theo is already there, Coach Vren is in RRQ now. For me that is scary for PH. Indo will slowly get it. Although what has become the standard there is also coach Yeb,” he said. “Kairi did not work on just being him alone, it worked because Coach Yeb was also there. RRQ? Coach Vren is there, and they took Brusko and Irrad. Coach Theo (Evos) with Super Red. I think that’s the formula.”
These insights align with recent discussions between V33NUS and his partner, Danerie “Wise” Rosario, regarding the pivotal role of coaches in professional MLBB competition. V33NUS even expressed aspirations to assume a coaching position in MPL ID, citing the lucrative salary offers as an enticing factor.
