UK organisation Bulldog Esports are facing a number of challenges with their League of Legends team.
While the roster hasn’t fallen apart so to speak, it has been left in a tight spot after a coach and two players left.
Last week, their coach James “Mac” MacCormack left to join Origen in the EU Challenger Series.
We’d like to announce that James MacCormack “Mac” will be our new Head Coach for the CS team, welcome onboard @MacCLol !
— Origen (@Origengg) June 21, 2017
Their support player and shot-caller Raizins has been unable to commit long-term as he’s moving to India. This has allowed Harro to step up as support sub.
However, without a coach and a shotcaller, this left the roster a little more directionless.
This evening Bulldog lost 2-0 to Barrage in the UK Masters, losing 24-19 in game one and 26-8 in game two.
After the games, jungler Jet left the roster and is now looking for a new team.
Left @BulldogeSports was really great playing with everyone but fell apart in the end
— fen (@JET9029) June 26, 2017
Esports News UK understands the team is now unsettled and some players are not happy with the current situation. ADC Fax is keen on joining another team, if Bulldog agrees to cut his contract short.
He tweeted this about his former lane partner Raizins:
feel like pure shit just want him back x pic.twitter.com/WtDb5KX06D
— Fax (@Faxulous) June 26, 2017
Back in April, Bulldog were one of the first orgs to put together a LoL roster for the UK summer splits. It was a reasonably solid roster, but after the aforementioned changes it’s not been easy for them.
It’s not clear what’s next for Bulldog – expect an announcement or roster changes in the coming days.
‘It’s disappointing as we were really motivated to compete’ – Fax
Bulldog ADC Fax told Esports News UK: “Coach Mac left for OG. The team that was created was flawed. Raizins was nice safety net, with great shotcalling and macro sense but he was soon to go to India and couldn’t commit longterm. Moon was straight out of solo queue, with no [team/esports] experience.
“With Mac gone, he had no direction. No one could help the team improve since experienced players like J3t and myself are not inherently vocal.
“We basically needed a leader and had no one. And in game communications is basically horrific now that Raizins is gone. It doesn’t look like anyone can step up to it.
“I want to leave and look for a team in the upcoming UK Prem, but I’m waiting on Bulldog to decide whether they will release me from my contract. I no longer want to play, but will honor my contract at a very basic level.
“It was disappointing, since two months ago we were really motivated to compete for top two in the UK Masters and UK Prem.
“It’s just hard to see a future for the team when most talent in UK and EU are now with teams.”
Meanwhile…
Former UK scene jungler Phurion got roasted on Twitter after predicting that Mac’s new org Origen would not win a single game in the Challenger Series. They won 2-0 on day one.
as you can see i am an expert analyst
— lucas (@PhurionEUW) June 18, 2017
y just watch i still think they will end last place
— lucas (@PhurionEUW) June 18, 2017
However, Origen lost to Schalke on the weekend, prompting Bulldog’s former coach Mac to tweet:
Extremely disappointed in myself today. We will do better next week, I promise.
— James MacCormack (@MacCLol) June 25, 2017
Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth University with a 2:1 degree in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.
As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late ’80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation up until February 2021, when he stepped back to work full-time on Esports News UK and offer esports consultancy and freelance services. Note: Dom still produces the British Esports newsletter on a freelance basis, so our coverage of British Esports is always kept simple – usually just covering the occasional press release – because of this conflict of interest.
