OG has announced a surprise change at the coaching position just weeks before The International 2021.
The reigning TI champion has announced the signing of Mikhail “Misha” Agatov. The Russian ex-professional player will serve as the squad’s coach for the biggest event in Dota 2 history. The squad first began working with Misha during preparations for the Western Europe TI10 qualifier. OG still enters the $40 million tournament as an underdog.
Misha previously played for Ninjas in Pyjamas, Team Spirit, and VP.Prodigy. According to official releases, he played a major role in OG’s TI10 qualification. Misha helped captain Johan “N0tail” Sundstein prepare for The International 10 European qualifier, which OG narrowly won over Tundra Esports. The defending champions will fight for a potential three-peat, though OG’s rough season doesn’t point to an easy win.
Despite the team’s reputation for wacky drafts, OG’s style for the qualifier relied on creatively enforcing the metagame. After Tundra’s Leon “Nine” Kirilin revealed his secret mid Winter Wyvern, N0tail cleverly shifted 7.29 terror Templar Assassin to SumaiL for the deciding match. The TI5 champion mid laner played TA to a perfect 14-0-10 scoreline. OG’s Dota 2 roster is a bit different from its TI-winning lineups. Saksa is the only player to not already have his name on the Aegis of Champions, but he was a runner-up at The International 2016 as part of Digital Chaos.
If that performance is any indication of Misha’s influence, signing him as a coach is a wise move. Patch 7.30 opened up a ton of the new strategies. An open metagame plays into OG’s niche counter-picking playstyle. Titouan “Sockshka” Merloz will remain with the organization as an assistant coach. With seven experienced minds, OG heads into The International 10 with an incredibly high Dota 2 IQ.
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