Gold Medal Coach

After Jiang Shaoyu returned to the office, he held a video conference with the coaches of the tactical team.

The current lineup system of the national team was very rich. Pei Feng’s free person gameplay was changeable and he could be integrated into any system. There were the extreme lineups of three snipers, three scouts, three chargers, three assaulters and even three medics.

But whether these lineups could be used and how effective they would be still needed a lot of practice to determine. The World Series started in December and there were still four months to slowly train their cooperation. With Pei Feng’s learning ability and overall view of the situation, Jiang Shaoyu believed that his apprentice definitely wouldn’t drop the ball. The key was whether young players like Mo Hantian and Hua Ran could keep up.

Coach Zhu was worried. “For Xia Li and Hua Ran, their rhythm wasn’t at the same frequency during the first training camp. Are you sure there will be no problems if these two are on the same team?”

Coach Gu was good at playing in waves and said, “You can choose the map that suits them. For example, Winding Corridor and Deep in the Jungle. These maps have few obstacles and simple and rough play. They can rush forward side by side and stare at the opponent to fight. They won’t affect each other.”

Old Xu agreed, “Coach Gu is right. I think we should first set up a few lineup systems and practice cooperation. The key is how to choose the map. With different lineups on different maps, we can achieve the effect of 1+1 being greater than 2!”

Coach Zhu said, “That’s right. We can’t just focus on the home game. We also need to score in the away games. Coach Jiang can control what map we choose at home but we can’t be sure what the opponent will choose. It is okay to practice more maps. This way, we won’t panic no matter what the opponent chooses.”

The maps and lineups always complemented each other.

For assassination plots like Crystal Cave then let Yezi go. He could kill people invisibly. If Yezi was placed in an open place like Fountain Square, he was useless.

Qin Xueyao was better at large maps with complex terrain and it was hard for her to play a role in small maps. Xia Li was completely the opposite. She was better at simple maps and would get lost when the map was large.

However, both of them could play medium maps and form a synergy in medium maps.

Pei Feng was a jack of all trades and could play on any map.

Shi Xiaobin was the best at mazes…

Matching the lineup system, the characteristics of each player and the map was a big project.

Jiang Shaoyu thought about it for a moment. In this way, the coaches will first determine the lineup candidates according to the tactics they are good at. Then pick some corresponding maps for them to focus on training. Once the lineup is more cooperative, it will be easier to change the map.”

Everyone cheered up and pondered on the map overnight.

Coach Gu was in charge of the hot-blooded play style. If it was explosion mode then they could play the zombie map, Civic Center. Hua Ran and Xia Li cooperated on this map during the trials and the effect wasn’t bad. In Endless Bloody Battle mode, they could directly fight head-on in Deep in the Jungle or use the five star map Desert Ruins to facilitate Hua Ran’s indiscriminate bombing… He compiled his ideas into a document and handed it over to Coach Jiang to arrange.

Coach Zhu Hong picked the multi-obstacle, medium-sized maps such as Hope Port and Logistics Park. Xia Li was very good at this type of obstacle map. The maps didn’t have complicated terrain and the number of obstacles was low. She could join in with the snipers to fight fast guerrilla warfare.

The experienced Coach Xu wrote several sets of comprehensive ideas and focused on matching the appropriate map for the defensive battle commanded by Liu Shaozhou.

Old Chang was responsible for selecting maze maps and large-scale maps for a war of attrition or hide-and-seek tactics. He carefully drew various paths for transfer and hiding.

Several coaches divided up the labor and cooperated and it indeed relieved Jiang Shaoyu of a lot of pressure.

—

In the afternoon of the next day, Mo Hantian’s group of five came to the office again to submit their reports.

This time, it wasn’t a self-criticism but an analysis report they wrote about the practice match.

Jiang Shaoyu wasn’t in the training room yesterday but everyone played the practice match very seriously. There were three practice games and the final heads ratio was 20:50, 25:50 and 30:50. They still lost continuously but it could be seen that Xiao Mo’s mentality wasn’t broken and he instead improved.

Jiang Shaoyu looked at Xiao Mo’s carefully written analysis and said with relief, “It is good to know why your opponent is strong and why you lost. There are still a few months left until the World Series so practice hard.”

Mo Hantian raised his head and replied, “Yes!”

In the next few days, the plans of the tactical advisers were summarized and sent to Jiang Shaoyu. Everyone held several tactical discussions and Qin Bo also joined the meeting to discuss and conduct tactical simulation demonstrations.

The discussion lasted for several days and the training camp of the national team was about to end in the blink of an eye.

In August, the second round of the A-Grade League officially began. Yezi, Captain Liu, Lao Lin and Zhou Zhou had to go back to participate in the domestic competition. They couldn’t participate in the training of the national team.

Jiang Shaoyu didn’t want them to delay the domestic competition because of training. After all, the club paid them a high salary and they had to do their best for the club.

Before the four of them left, Jiang Shaoyu called them over alone and instructed them. “You are the captains of the top four teams in this year’s A-Grade League. The next playoffs are very important to you. After you go back, focus on the matches. On the national team’s side, I will organize the others to train and develop their cooperation first.”

Lao Lin was a bit worried. “However, in this case, will the four of us slow down the progress of the national team’s training? When we return in October, we will have only one month of training.”

Zhou Yiran smiled. “Yes, it’s okay to practice three or four sets of lineups in a month but the national team has so many lineups and the commander will change. The four of us might not be able to keep up, right?”

Jiang Shaoyu said, “I have also taken this into account. Every few days, the national team will have an online training camp. The four of you don’t have to fly over. Just turn on the computer in the team and participate in the online training. In addition, don’t forget to practice the map. Take time to practice for one hour every day to maintain familiarity with the five star maps. It is convenient to directly use the five star maps to train the lineup when the time comes.”

The four of them nodded to express their understanding.

Yezi smiled. “Online training is much more convenient! We don’t have to fly all the way back and forth and delay time. As long as there is no competition, we can participate at any time.”

Liu Shaozhou added, “Yes, it is best for Coach Jiang to inform us a day in advance. It is because within our team, we might also play some practice matches for the playoffs. It isn’t easy to arrange if the time collides.”

They might be players of the national team but they were also captains of their teams. They couldn’t drag down their teammates in order to participate in the online training of the national team.

Jiang Shaoyu looked at Liu Shaozhou. “Don’t worry, I will coordinate the time and gather you to participate in online training when you aren’t training or competing.”

Liu Shaozhou nodded. “That’s great. We must participate on time!”

In early August, the second round of the Chinese A-grade playoffs officially began.

People like Yezi, Zhou Zhou, Lao Lin and Captain Lin were all star players with tens of millions of fans. The ratings of the A-grade League were several times higher than the Asian Championships and Jiang Shaoyu would also watch the match videos when he had time.

That afternoon, Jiang Shaoyu was watching video materials in his office when there was a sudden knock on the door.

Jiang Shaoyu looked up and said, “Enter.”

It was Anna who pushed open the door and Vice-chairman Qi was with her.

Jiang Shaoyu was startled and got up. “Vice-chairman, you suddenly came over. Why didn’t you give me a call? I would’ve had someone pick you up.”

He turned around to pour a cup of water but was stopped by Qi Heng. “No, I won’t drink water. I have important news that I want to inform you about as soon as possible, so I came myself. I just happened to run into Anna in the hallway.” Qi Heng paused before continuing, “What I brought should be considered good news while Anna has bad news. Which one do you want to listen to first?”

Jiang Shaoyu looked at Anna. “Let’s listen to the bad news first.”

Anna took out her tablet and opened a web page that was in Korean. Jiang Shaoyu couldn’t read Korean and frowned. “This is… an announcement from the Korean E-sports League?”

Anna nodded and explained, “Han Changhao, the head coach of the Korean national team, voluntarily submitted his resignation after the Asian Championships and resigned as the coach of the national team. After the league discussion, Cha Injun will take over as coach of the national team.”

Jiang Shaoyu said, “…Resign?”

Qi Heng smiled. “In the finals of the Asian Championship, you almost crushed Coach Han’s IQ. After he returned to the country, the people in the country fiercely scolded him and blamed him for ‘not knowing how to make a lineup,’ causing the South Korean team to lose. He was chased and scolded by netizens for a while. He probably felt ashamed to stay any longer and resigned.”

Jiang Shaoyu didn’t know what to say. The Korean media had always been like this. If they win the championship, they are a god and the strongest in the world. If they don’t win the championship then they are a sinner. Korean netizens always believed that the championship should be theirs and their players are the strongest in the world. It was conceivable how miserably Coach Han would be scolded.

But in fact, apart from the coach, a crucial reason why the South Korean team lost was their command. Their commander, Jeong Jiwoo, wasn’t on the same level as Xiao Pei at all. His reaction was slow and his thinking wasn’t as flexible as Xiao Pei.

If the coach didn’t give guidance during a timeout, Jeong Jiwoo didn’t know what to do. However, Jeong Jiwoo was very popular in South Korea and the winner of the Best Newcomer Award. Netizens were more inclined to vent their anger on the coach.

Coach Han’s resignation was indeed bad news for Jiang Shaoyu.

He had studied this coach’s style for a long time and knew how to deal with it. Jiang Shaoyu didn’t understand the new coach at all. He looked at Anna. “What is the origin of the new coach, Cha Injun? Have you checked it?”

Anna replied, “I checked his information. He used to be an e-sports player. After retiring, he worked as the coach of ATX Korea for a year. He led ATX to win the Korean League championship that year. Later, for unknown reasons, he disappeared for two years. This time, the Korean E-sports League invited him back to be the national team’s coach. His status in the Korean e-sports circle is similar to yours in China. The brothers Kim Minho and Kim Minji are the apprentices he brought out.”

Jiang Shaoyu: “……”

They actually invited a master of world-class scouts?

It seemed that this new coach would become his fierce rival.

Jiang Shaoyu raised an eyebrow. “You continue to collect his information and find all the videos of the season he won with ATX in the past. Then send it to me.”

Anna exclaimed, “Okay!”

Jiang Shaoyu looked at Qi Heng. “What is the good news brought by Vice-chairman Qi?”

Qi Heng said with a smile, “The World Gun King League has just sent an announcement to all countries and the rules of the 6th World Series have changed. Previously, many maps have been common to Endless Bloody Battle mode and Extreme Duel mode. This year, the three modes each have determined event matches. The coach needs to do the BP from the corresponding map library and the scope has narrowed down a lot.’

He took out a form and handed it to Jiang Shaoyu. “In the past, a map like Yuehu Park could be used for Endless Bloody Battle and Extreme Duel. But after the rules were revised this year, Yuehu Park can only be played in the Extreme Duel mode.”

The bloody battle, explosion and duel modes had map classifications. This would save a lot of worry for the coach. They no longer needed to practice two styles of play for one map.

Jiang Shaoyu shifted his gaze to a few unfamiliar names and couldn’t help stopping. “Botanical Garden, Qingyang Airport and Disneyland… What are these three maps?”

Qi Heng said, “They are the new explosion maps that will be launched globally in mid-August.”

Jiang Shaoyu nodded. “I understand.”

Due to the need to consider the balance between the police and robbers, the number of maps for the explosion mode was the fewest and there were only seven maps to choose from in the Asian Championships. Today, the officials added three explosion maps. This would enrich the play style and BP of the explosion mode.

In addition, Endless Bloody Battle mode and Extreme Duel mode had some unpopular maps that usually weren’t used in the competition gallery. Jiang Shaoyu’s eyes scanned over the maps…

The competition gallery of this World Series had 10 explosion maps, 12 duel maps and 14 bloody battle maps for a total of 36 maps. The most popular mode among netizens was Endless Bloody Battle and it had the largest number of maps.

Fortunately, there were only three new maps. Otherwise, it would be too late for everyone to familiarize themselves with the maps from scratch.

The more maps there were, the more beneficial it was for a team with ‘multi-tactical systems’ like China. Vice-chairman Qi brought good news that Jiang Shaoyu could do more layouts in the BP stage.

After the two of them left, Jiang Shaoyu’s sense of urgency grew stronger. The new gallery and classification rules were a big test for him. He had to adapt to the BP thinking of the new model as soon as possible.

Also, the Korean team had changed their head coach and their style would definitely be different from the Asian Championships. The coach would definitely be taking the time to study him. If the two sides faced each other again, the winner or loser would be unknown.

Next, he must make good use of each training session to let the players of the national team catch up as soon as possible so they were fully prepared to face the strong opponents of the world.