After four weeks of competitive play and a lackluster record compared to its previous split, European League Championship Series (LCS) team Origen’s head coach has stepped down today.
Danish coach Nicolai “Hazel” Larsen left his position this morning, the team announced on its Facebook page. Origen owner and professional mid laner Enrique “xPeke” Cedeño Martínez has stepped in as a temporary replacement. This will be Cedeño Martinez’s first time back on stage with the team since Intel Extreme Masters San Jose, where he served as interim head coach as well.
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While it’s uncertain Larsen left, he’s now the third coach to leave Origen during its last two splits in the LCS. The team’s original head coach, Titus “LeDuck” Hafner in September, saying that the team and organization were “very player focused / protective, which makes it difficult as an authority figure to push changes and break old habits.”
That sentiment seemed to be backed up by tweets from Origen top laner Paul “sOAZ” Boyer and jungler Maurice “Amazing” Stückenschneider in December.
@MarcelFeldkamp @Thooorin @JRavenEsports i respect the fact that they try and it’s gonna be better in the future but now coaches = useless
— Paul Boyer (@sOAZIZGOOD) December 11, 2015
@sOAZIZGOOD @SkumbagKrepo @MarcelFeldkamp @Thooorin @JRavenEsports coaching in the West is incomparable to the East, let’s leave it at that
— Maurice (@Amazing_EU) December 11, 2015
After Hafner left, the team promoted its former analyst Tadayoshi “Hermit” Littleton to head coach. Littleton coached Origen through the 2015 World Championship. Littleton’s decisions in the pick and ban phase were widely praised by other analysts. Under Littleton’s leadership, Origen took third-fourth at the event after falling to eventual champions SK Telecom T1. After that, Littleton left Origen to join North American LCS side NRG Esports.
Since taking first at IEM San Jose in December, Origen entered a slump. According to sources close to the players, they did not often practice during the offseason break and had internet issues in their gaming house after returning to Germany, which prevented scrimmages with other teams.
Now the team will look for a new coach to get back on track from its current 4-4 record in the LCS. Later today, Origen plays Splyce, who is currently in eighth with a 2-6 record, and tomorrow will face off against fourth place squad Vitality.
Photo via Riot Games/Flickr (All rights reserved, used with permission)
