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    With Burn X Flash out of M4, Coach Zico looks back on first world stage coaching stint

    Zico recalls how COVID, lack of experience affected the team
    Jan 10, 2023
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    IT WAS A SERIES of unfortunate events for Burn X Flash as they entered the M4 world stage without the guidance of their head coach John Michael “Zico” Dizon.

    Suffering from COVID hours before the group stages, the loss of Zico (who was in M1 as a player as part of Onic PH’s roster) was a huge blow for the Cambodian squad, who ended up winless in their campaign.

    It was indeed a cruel twist of fate to see them stumble in the group stages with a 0-3 record, then swept aside by The Valley in a disastrous 0-2 defeat.

    Without landing a single win in the M4 World Championship, Coach Zico reflected on what exactly happened.

    “Doon kasi nag-umpisa lahat e," he said of his COVID-19 diagnosis. "Ang hirap na nagtra-training sila na wala ako, lalo na sa stage. Kasi first day, yung sa Falcon, triny ko na mag-coach online."

    “Hindi kami nagkaintindihan kase ang pwede ko lang kausapin is yung manager namin. Hindi ko makausap kase yung players kung ano plano namin, kaya hindi nila alam kung anong gagawin. Although naging good fight naman, the next matches, wala! Ang hirap talaga.”

    So, would things change had he not been sidelined?

    “Feeling ko kung hindi ako nagka-COVID, kaya namin mag-upper bracket e, kasi iba talaga yung impact noong wala ako sa tabi nila...tapos hindi nila alam kung anong gagawin and ayun talaga sobrang malas talaga!”

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      A different atmosphere for Burn X Flash

      But COVID wasn’t the only factor that limited the potential of the Cambodian reps. The players realized that, here in the Mobile Legends' biggest arena, the atmosphere could get intense. Fighting against teams with wildly varying play styles — with the whole world watching — could be overwhelming.

      For Zico, the playoffs was the boiling point for the team.

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      “Based sa performance namin itong playoff, kasi sa scrim okay yung mga results [...] parang na-pressure sila sa stage since first time nga nilang lahat.”

      He added: “Para sa akin, kinulang talaga yun. Na-pressure tapos kinabahan, pero good experience iyon for us.”

      And while everything seemed to be crashing down for the Flamers, Zico recalled all the positives that happened. It was his first time coaching a team in the world stage, an experience that he’ll never forget.

      “Noong una, excited talaga ako kasi syempre first time ko rin and ganun kasi ako kapag first time, sobrang na-excite ako," he explained. "And now na I just feel overwhelmed kasi sobrang daming unfortunate series na nangyari sa amin pero still, masaya pa rin ako kasi nakabalik ako ng world stage.”

      He added: “Looking back, eto talaga yung goal ko. Parang kasi noong nasa Pinas ako, kahit sino man gusto mag-champion. And then first championship ko nakuha ko sa Cambodia. And nakapag-M4 kami, although ayun, early exit, pero overall sobrang saya ko sa na-achieve ko and na-achieve ng team.”

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      And with all his experience in M4, Zico realized that a coach carries a heavier burden than a player.

      “Mas mabigat yung responsibility ng coach kase sa iyo sila umaasa...sa coach aaralin mo yung kalaban, yung data, et cetera... Responsibility mas mabigat talaga kaya pagnatatalo. Iba talaga yung impact sa coach kaysa sa players,” Zico reflected.

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