Image credit: LoL Esports (LirA) / LCK (Rigby) - Composite
Former League of Legends professional player Nam "LirA" Tae-yoo and translator-turned-coach Han "Rigby" Earl have joined Afreeca Freecs' coaching staff, with LirA acting as the head coach. The Korean team announced the news on its social media accounts on Nov. 6.
LirA's arrival to Afreeca Freecs marks a possible end to his playing days, and the beginning of his coaching career where his career at the highest level of play began. Before landing in the lineup that would become Afreeca Freecs' first roster in the League Champions Korea (LCK), he unsuccessfully attempted to qualify to Korea's first division on KT Rolster Arrows.
The former jungler's international career began after strong local performances allowed AFS to contend — albeit unsuccessfully — for a World Championship spot in 2016. Despite their fall, he captured the attention of North American teams, with Team EnVy (2017) and Clutch Gaming (2018 and 2019) netting his services, with Clutch Gaming reaching Worlds in 2019. After the tournament and Clutch's rebranding into Team Dignitas, he joined Riot Games Korea where he served as a broadcast analyst, before his return to Afreeca Freecs as a head coach.
LirA's first known assistant coach is Rigby, who served as an assistant coach and as a translator on one of LirA's previous teams, Clutch Gaming, and on Afreeca Freecs in 2020. Rigby and LirA's first cooperation at Clutch Gaming yielded a World Championship qualification as the team ran the gauntlet, emerging from ninth place in the spring split to securing North America's third seed.
The news marks the beginning of a new era within Afreeca Freecs. Indeed, following the departure of former head coach Choi "iloveoov" Yeong-sung, the team and assistant coaches Yeon "ActScene" Hyeong-mo and Chae "viNylCat" Woo-cheol parted ways. With the majority of their players' contracts expiring, the new coaching staff is free to rebuild the roster around top laner Kim "Kiin" Gi-in and mid laner Song "Fly" Yong-jun.
