ECHO is on a roll with three succeeding championships on its belt in the past four months: M4 World Championship, MDL Championship, and the recently concluded MPL Philippines Season 11 Championship. But these achievements haven’t shaken off ECHO’s share of bashers, some of whom claim the team only won the MDL crown because its MDL roster is composed of veterans.
Mitch Liwanag, country manager of ECHO, has some words to say to these bashers.
“Huwag nilang maliitin ang mga nasa amateur. Malalakas ang lahat ng nasa amateur,” Liwanag told the MPL Press Corps.
Mitch Liwanag: ‘Kahit sa amateur scene, mahihirapan manalo ang Indonesia’
According to Liwanag, it is unfair for bashers to discredit the achievements of amateur teams in the Philippines.
“Napaka-unfair naman iyon na dini-discredit nila ang ibang leagues. Gusto ko lang sabihin na lahat malalakas ang nasa Pilipinas,” said Liwanag.
She also emphasized that the Philippines’ amateur scene is where some of the most talented players come from. In fact, ECHO’s Outplayed and Zaida, who both played in the MPL in Season 10, both came from the amateur scene.
ECHO has been having scrimmages with amateur teams during Season 10 more than with foreign teams because the amateur teams in the Philippines are very challenging to win against.
“Pinakamahirap nga yata manalo rito kahit amateur scene, mahihirapan manalo ang Indonesia,” said Liwanag.
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