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Cloud9 fires coach LS just before match

In a surprise tweet that many didn’t even take seriously at first, the organization Cloud9 fired star LCS coach... | 21. February 2022

In a surprise tweet that many didn’t even take seriously at first, the organization Cloud9 fired star LCS coach Nick “LS” De Cesare just minutes before their first match against CLG in Week 3. Instead of LS, Max Waldo will now be the team’s new coach.

LS was one of the most important members

LS was the centerpiece around which Cloud9 was built this year. The team was structured around his philosophy – several players from the Academy and coaches were brought in on his recommendation, and Cloud9 modeled all content after him in the first few weeks of the season.

But LS wasn’t without controversy. Before his time as coach, he was a rather controversial streamer who liked to openly voice his opinions-even if those opinions were sometimes met with head-scratching from fans. That LS of all people became a coach was therefore pretty big news and many people couldn’t quite understand the move. But despite everything Cloud9 had a very good start in the LCS and the choice of LS as coach seemed to pay off. All the more strange that he now has to leave again.

Why did the coach have to go?

Cloud9’s tweet, which was announced just minutes before the match of the third LCS week against CLG, immediately made big waves. Most people thought it was a joke and didn’t take the tweet seriously. It’s no wonder, because there is no official reason why Cloud9 would change the coach just before an important match.

But the 28-year-old LS said on Twitter that he was informed of his dismissal just four hours before the start of the match. “So I’ll find out shortly what’s next,” LS said. Then, when Max Waldo actually took the LCS stage as coach, the tweet was apparently confirmed. Still, the reasons are unclear, and one can only speculate what might have gone on to cause Cloud9 to change coaches so extremely spontaneously.

LS commented on Twitter afterwards, and it seems he didn’t know anything about the reasons for the change either: “A lot of people have been asking about my mental health, that’s totally fine. I had a great support system of friends, mentors and confidants. I’m as surprised as anyone.”

Cloud9’s lineup also seemed shaken by the news. They started poorly in their match against CLG, the last team in the standings, which is not surprising with such big news, right before the match. It’s possible that their thoughts were elsewhere.