Team Secret coach Heen discusses TNC after Kuku incident, TI9 trip

gabhernandez Published 04/12/2019

Team Secret’s new coach opened up on his time with TNC Predator. In an interview with Daniel Offen at Position Six Podcast, coach Lee “Heen” Seung Gon discussed the team’s potential and its ill-fated performance at The International 2019. 

One of the biggest storylines heading into TI9 was whether Carlo “Kuku” Palad would be able to compete at the event due to his use of racist language against Chinese players during a pub game. He made the trip without issue, but the crowd in Shanghai held a grudge towards the team.

Heen stated this dragged down the team’s morale and TNC underperformed during the tournament as a result. He went on to state the players avoided face-to-face discussion about their future.

“Back in China, it was really hard to say anything to cheer them up,” Heen said in the interview.

When Heen found out that Kuku and Nico “eyyou” Barcelon were taking a break, he decided to leave the team as well and revealed that he felt attached to the original roster. He did have a hand in the current version of the team though, stating that he introduced TNC to current captain Park “March” Tae-won. 

Heen’s tenure with TNC could have actually been a bit longer, as he could have stayed on as coach for the first few live events of the season. Instead he opted to take some time off, which eventually led him to Team Secret.

Heen discusses Team Secret’s road in new Dota Pro Circuit season 

Team Secret has been dominant over the last two Dota Pro Circuit seasons, winning three majors and two minors. The team was actually one of the favorites to win TI9 but instead fell in fourth place. Heen will be looking to help Secret finally realize its goal of winning The International, and the new roster has a good shot of doing so.

Team Secret’s captain, Clement “Puppey” Ivanov, is regarded as one of the best drafters and captains in Dota 2 history and actually has a lengthy history with Heen’s longtime constituent, Kuro “KuroKy” Salehi Takhasomi. The two played together with Natus Vincere and were founding members of Team Secret before KuroKy split off to eventually join Team Liquid. According to Heen, the two have many similarities as a result.

That’s good for Heen as he is working with a similar-feeling lineup to the Team Liquid roster he coached to the championship at The International 2017. But of course, Puppey does have a bit of a negative reputation, something Heen jokingly acknowledged.

“We haven’t really had deep discussions. I just hope that I remain physically unharmed even if I fucked up,” Heen playfully told fans.

Read Also

Dota 2

Every Dota 2 International Champion in History: The Complete Winners List Ben Boland If you know a thing or two about esports, “The International” should ring a bell. TI is Dota 2’s yearly tournament and is one of the most prestigious tournament series in all of esports. It’s best known for its million-dollar prize pools, and every edition tells a different story. Below, we list all the winners of Dota 2’s The International. Every year, Valve hosts an iteration of The International, with ...

Kick

ESL FACEIT Group announces Kick partnership, here’s what we know Khizar Mundia ESL FACEIT Group and Kick have signed a partnership that will allow the platform to distribute and broadcast select official CS2 and Dota 2 tournaments. Esports broadcasting rights are an important element for major streaming platforms, as popular tournaments draw millions of viewers. The esports broadcasting network is substantially fragmented as no one platform holds exclusive rights for major tournaments. Kick has been trying to get into the esports scene ...

Dota 2

Best Dota 2 Players in 2026 Owen Harsono In 2026, pro Dota 2 players are on another level, with a bunch of them even passing 17,000 MMR. However, not all of them can prove themselves on the big stage. Below we have ranked the top 10 best Dota 2 players in 2026 who have championship qualities. We have ranked the top 10 Dota 2 players in the world right now. We primarily considered individual skill and overall contribution ...

Dota 2

Best Dota 2 Teams in 2026 Owen Harsono We're currently in one of the most competitive eras in Dota 2, as many teams have the potential to win an event. But, even though the playing field is very even right now, some squads still manage to win out more often than others. Below are the top 10 best Dota 2 teams this year, including details on their recent successes and any question marks that remain. NAVI went for ...

Dota 2

Dota 2 Rich List 2026: Top 10 Richest Dota Pro Players Conn Mc Gillion Dota 2 has fast become one of the most lucrative esports in terms of prize money. It may not have as many viewers as League of Legends or even CS2, but all top-tier tournaments have a prize pool of over $1,000,000. As you will see, this means that the top 10 richest Dota 2 Players have managed to earn some serious winnings. This article will dive deep into the top ...

Dota 2

ESL One Birmingham 2026 Outright Odds and Teams Analysis Owen Harsono ESL One Birmingham 2026 is right around the corner, and it’ll be the first arena Dota 2 tournament in 2026. The previous tournaments this year were mostly played online or in studios, so this will feel a little different. These are the best Dota 2 teams to look out for at this event. Popular esports betting sites have these top three Dota teams coming into this event as clear favorites: ...

Esports Betting

Team Liquid vs BetBoom Team: PGL Wallachia Season 7 Predictions Owen Harsono Team Liquid will take on the BetBoom Team in the lower bracket final of PGL Wallachia Season 7. The winner will book a date with Team Yandex in the grand final and contend for the trophy. Here are our PGL Wallachia S7 Team Liquid vs BetBoom Team predictions. Tournament: PGL Wallachia Season 7 Stage: Lower Bracket Final Game: Dota 2 Format: Best of 3 Betting tip: Team Liquid have not ...