T1 head coach confirms Faker will be playing again before playoffs

Faker’s time on the bench has ushered in a dark era for T1. While head coach Tom has claimed that Faker will be returning before the playoffs, it remains to be seen when he’ll come back and if he can turn things around.

Lee ‘Faker’ Sang-hyeok has been the face of T1 for pretty much the entirety of the organization’s long and storied competitive history within League of Legends. However, it wasn’t clear just how important he was to the team until he was put on the bench.

Following Faker’s reports of feeling pain in one of his wrists that was affecting his ability to play, he was put on the bench. He spent weeks away from playing League of Legends, and, though he has since played some solo queue games, Faker’s been mostly playing ARAM and the new Arena mode.

Though he isn’t practicing like he used to, interim head coach Im ‘Tom’ Jae-hyeon has claimed that Faker will be coming back to the team before playoffs.

Faker set to return to T1 before playoffs

In a press conference recorded by Korizon Esports following T1’s crushing loss at the hand of KT Rolster, arguably the best team in the LCK right now, interim head coach Tom spoke on Faker’s recovery and why it’s been taking so long in a press conference.

“Bengi did say he’d take a two week break before left the team, but the state of Faker’s wrist wasn’t… He couldn’t take only two weeks off and start playing on stage again right away.”

Considering Faker’s lack of solo queue games and the fact it took him almost two weeks to start playing again at all, this is no surprise. However, Tom’s confident that Faker will be returning some time before playoffs begin.

“Faker might even start next week, the regular season matches before playoffs. I can tell you that Faker will, at least, return to the roster some time before playoffs.”

Fernando Decillis/Riot Games

Additionally, the press conference revealed that Faker has been visiting LoL Park, the arena that the LCK is played in, to reassure fans in-person that he’s not done playing yet. Any time that T1’s playing and he isn’t pre-occupied with a doctor’s appointment, he’s there in-person helping the team however he can.

All of that said, it’s hard to say whether or not Faker’s return will immediately turn things around for T1. With him not having played much League recently and his condition still up in the air as of now, who’s to say his return will immediately turn things around for the team? And that’s without mentioning Bengi’s sudden resignation earlier this month.

It remains to be seen if T1 can stop their downward spiral and right the ship while they still have a chance to make it to Worlds 2023.