WATCH: Team Liquid’s Desperation Confirmed After Offering Imaqtpie AD Carry Role

If fans didn’t already consider Team Liquid to be desperate, after learning that the organisation approached professional streamer Michael “Imaqtpie” Santana to be the team’s new AD Carry, the brand of shame has been permanently seared onto the eSports organisation.

After a disastrous first half of the NA LCS Spring Split, Team Liquid made it clear they were looking to make any and all changes needed to succeed. It became quickly apparent that Mid laner Greyson “Goldenglue” Gilmer would not be continuing with the team going forwards, opening up a number of options to solve the teams in-game issues.

Team Liquid owner Steve “LiQuiD112” Arhancet clarified that the team were considering all possibilities, sparking excitement and curiosity amongst fans and analysts alike. The one avenue no-one considered for an instant however, was the prospect of bringing former Team Dignitas AD Carry Imaqtpie out of retirement to pull on the Team Liquid jersey.

Speaking on his livestream panel show Beyond the Rift, Imaqtpie confirmed that he had been approached by the Team Liquid organisation to rejoin the North American League of Legends Championship Series as the struggling team’s AD Carry:

“They asked me to join their team dude. You’re desperate as f*** if you have to ask me to join your team.

“I told them I was nowhere near good enough and I’m just gonna be a disappointment to your roster, so I’m not gonna allow myself to join your team – I’m sorry.

“Guys, I’m just not good enough.”

Michael “Imaqtpie” Santana

The revelation really emphasises how low Team Liquid have stooped; the team’s scouting methods have certainly been brought into question. Looking to bring in a player who hasn’t played competitively for nearly four years is a drastic move – a move than Imaqtpie was quick to decline, joking:

“Hell no I didn’t say that, I said: ‘You’re tenth place f***ing garbage, don’t you ever come at me with that dude!

“Don’t you disrespect me by asking me to join your tenth place, garbage-ass team.”

Perhaps most what is most disheartening for Team Liquid fans, Imaqtpie would’ve been one of the team’s better options. Twitch’s most popular League of Legends streamer is still a mechanically gifted player, exemplified by his ability to finish last season with four different accounts in NA’s Challenger tier, frequently pushing into the top ten of the server rankings. Imaqtpie maintains a diverse champion pool and is able to play multiple positions at a high level.

With the current role of ADCs trending toward utility champions such as Jhin, Varus, and Ashe, Imaqtpie would be naturally protected by the meta as he transitions back to LCS form. If Team Liquid are willing to put their faith in the unproven Young-bin “Youngbin” Chung, trusting his mechanical proficiency in the position, then having a career AD Carry main such as Imaqtpie would surely only be an improvement.

Imaqtpie brings an extra edge to the table that very few other available ADCs can offer. He brings a wealth of experience with strong communication, macro understanding and the small intricacies that come with being a professional player. Many of the available options for Team Liquid have never played in the LCS, and because much of the talent was already signed during the off-season, Imaqtpie has a significant advantage over many of the players who may have never played for an organised team. Players like Youngbin who have played on a team in the Challenger Scene still fail to come close to the level of experience that Imaqtpie has. 

The announcement of Youngbin joining the team did little to quell the fears of their fanbase, many questioned the decision and many saw this as a desperate manoeuvre with very little chance of success. Whereas announcing Imaqtpie as the new ADC would have immediately reignited the fans excitement, catalysing enthusiasm that could have impacted the team’s performance on the rift.

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Current NA LCS Stars Who Have Played For The Team Liquid Organisation