TSM has had a turbulent year. The perennial LCS champions have a 1-8 record through the first half of the 2022 Spring Split and are on the verge of finishing in the bottom two for the first time in the organization’s history.
However, before the start of Week 5, the organization made another League of Legends roster change, reintroducing rookie support Shenyi into the starting lineup and relegating mid laner Keaiduo to the Academy squad. The team also revealed why Shenyi was sent down after week two, stating that the 19-year-old “has made several improvements in addition to communication.”
TSM’s head coach Chawy told Upcomer that in week two, Shenyi locked in a champion during an on-stage game without communicating with his teammates or coaches. When the staff confronted the rookie about the situation, Chawy described his actions as “negative and disrespectful.”
According to Chawy, Shenyi’s attitude toward the team and their criticisms was the primary reason he was benched, but the staff believes he has improved over the last two weeks. Meanwhile, Keaiduo will be replaced on the main roster by Academy mid laner Ji “Takeover” Cha Hyeun-min.
“This change was made because the team believes Keaiduo requires more time to train in a less stressful environment,” TSM assistant general manager Yang “Glen” Po-Jen explained. “We recognize that making this many roster changes in the middle of the season is not ideal, but in our current situation, it’s critical that Keaiduo be given time to work on several key development areas as we try to end the season on a high note.”
TSM’s ultimate goal is to improve for the upcoming Summer Split in 2022. At the moment, the team’s plan is “to make sure that everything is ready and prepared to find the best team possible for us, the best playstyle—everything by summer split—and then our hope is still to get to playoffs and hopefully Worlds.” Fans must now exercise extreme patience as the roster searches for its true identity throughout the remainder of the spring.
TSM will be in action when the LCS resumes on Saturday, March 5.