Former International champion and revered Dota 2 captain Peter “ppd” Dager is now the coach of Alliance. The European esports organization announced the acquisition of ppd early on Thursday, as per their official Twitter account and website.
As one of the greatest minds to ever play Dota 2, ppd's understanding of the game should bring more success to Alliance. (Photo courtesy DreamHack)
Ppd will coach Alliance’s Dota 2 squad on a trial basis for now. The trial period in question will last from now until the next Major. This means that ppd will be with the team for the remainder of the ongoing Dota Pro Circuit season, and will likely travel with the team should they qualify for the Major.
Living Legend
Fans and followers of Dota 2 need no introduction to ppd, but for those that do: ppd is one of the most successful team captains and drafters in the game. He is in large part responsible for the achievements of Evil Geniuses in 2015, the year when the North American team won it all at The International. He is, bar none, one of the greatest minds to ever play the game. His reputation as a grandmaster drafter and leader is well-known throughout the competitive Dota 2 scene.
The arrival of ppd is nothing but a boon for Alliance, who are right now. by most measures. the best team in the Western European DPC regional league. Their record on the season currently stands at 4-1, and the squad as a whole has looked significantly better than they did in the previous league.
Considering that they walked away from the Singapore Major without any prize money or DPC points, it’s clear that their acquisition of ppd is a step towards making their chemistry more solid and cohesive. Ppd’s long tenure as captain of different teams over the years should lend well to this endeavor, perhaps resulting in an uptick in overall performance.
The mechanical skill is certainly already there in Alliance’s players. They just need a firm, guiding hand to get to the next level—a bill which ppd certainly fits.
