E-sports

Falcons AP.Bren’s Coach Ducky Weighs In On The Strength of Season 14 Teams

By Ramon Domingo - September 11, 2024

It’s been a tight battle at the top of the standings and Coach Ducky sees it as teams finally stepping up.

Falcons AP.Bren’s Coach Francis “Ducky” Glindro has had his work cut out for him as they’ve been facing some stiff competition at the MPL PH S14 regular season. The team is sitting right behind Fnatic ONIC PH’s undefeated record in the standings. Right next to them are Aurora Gaming, followed by Team Liquid PH and Omega Esports. 

Falcons AP.Bren’s Coach Ducky Weighs In on The Strength of Season 14 Teams
Falcons AP.Bren face off against Fnatic ONIC PH on week four of the MPL PH S14. (Photo from MOONTON Games)

When asked why so many teams have been stepping up this season, Coach Ducky attributes it to two things.

“I think if we look back at the lead up to season 14 there’s been events that’s shaken things up,” referring to the Mid Season Cup. MSC was the very first MLBB tournament to have a million-dollar grand prize. That kind of money was undeniably a big deal for many teams that everyone who participated in MSC put more effort than before to win it.

“That’s where this hunger comes from. Also, there’s this want to prove to others and to yourself that you can amount to something. They don’t want to be ‘just’ a pro player,” continued Coach Ducky. Considering that these players are playing in the strongest MLBB region in the world, the desire to stand out must certainly be very strong in all of them. 

Trust the Process

Another factor as to why these teams have become top-tier contenders is because their work is finally bearing fruit.

Teams like Fnatic ONIC and Omega have been working on their roster since last season and while there were glimmers of hope, they ultimately couldn’t stand up to the clear top two of Falcons AP.Bren and Liquid PH. But they’ve kept at it and now it seems like they’re finally achieving their full potential as a team. They trusted the process and it’s something that Coach Ducky wholeheartedly agrees with.

“I’ve been there — not once, not twice, not even three times but four. I’ve been through that process. And trusting that process, whatever it may be for your organization, can be a struggle.”

It’s hard to remember that Falcons AP.Bren were a bottom-tier team in the past, so Coach Ducky knows that feeling well. “You need to adjust the pieces if they don’t fall into place. Plus you have to make sure that everyone doesn’t forget the things you identified when you started that process.”

Falcons AP.Bren’s Coach Ducky Weighs In on The Strength of Season 14 Teams
Coach Francis “Ducky” Glindro prepares with his team before the drafting phase. (Photo from MOONTON Games)

As the team that ‘trusted the process’ all the way to becoming the two-time world champions, many teams look to Falcons AP.Bren as a standard.

Coach Ducky is humbled by this and says, “I do hope that what we did back in the day can help teams get that breakout season or game. I hope that we’ve inspired other organizations and that they don’t touch the key pieces that work. Identifying those key pieces is very important.”

Banner photo from MOONTON Games.

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