Fabre returns to Eternal Fire as head coach

Sezgin “Fabre” Kalaycı has returned to Eternal Fire as the organization’s new head coach, replacing Yiğit “yT” Özden and beginning another chapter with the Turkish Counter-Strike organization.

Fabre previously coached Eternal Fire’s Turkish lineup between 2022 and 2025 before following the roster to Aurora. His return places him in a very different situation: for the first time in his coaching career, the 36-year-old will be responsible for an English-speaking international roster.

Eternal Fire currently sit No. 67 in the Valve Regional Standings and are attempting to rebuild after extensive roster changes throughout 2026.

Fabre returns after yT departure

Eternal Fire confirmed Fabre’s appointment only days after yT left the organization on September 8.

The move brings back a coach who already has considerable history with the brand and several members of the current roster.

Fabre coached Eternal Fire from 2022 until April 2025
He replaces yT as the organization’s head coach
Fabre previously worked with jottAAA and soulfly at Aurora
This will be his first English-speaking roster as head coach

His previous stint came during one of Eternal Fire’s strongest periods in Counter-Strike.

Under Fabre, the Turkish lineup developed into a regular international contender and reached the playoffs of the PGL CS2 Major Copenhagen.

Fabre now returns to a familiar organization but faces a fundamentally different challenge from the one he left behind in 2025.

Aurora move ended first Eternal Fire spell

Fabre’s original Eternal Fire tenure ended in April 2025 when the entire active lineup left the organization and joined Aurora.

He continued coaching the core after the transfer.

That partnership later produced another significant Major result, with Aurora reaching the semifinals of the IEM Cologne Major.

Across the two organizations, Fabre therefore oversaw two Major playoff appearances with the Turkish core: a quarterfinal run under Eternal Fire and a semifinal appearance after the move to Aurora.

Those results give his return additional significance. Eternal Fire are not bringing in a coach unfamiliar with the organization’s previous identity, but someone who helped oversee some of its strongest international results.

Current Eternal Fire looks very different

The team Fabre inherits bears little resemblance to the roster he previously coached.

Eternal Fire now field players from four different countries, with soulfly and jottAAA representing Turkey alongside South African MisteM, Romanian AWPer regali and Ukrainian rifler Kvem.

Role	Player
Rifler	soulfly
Rifler	MisteM
AWPer	regali
Rifler	Kvem
Rifler	jottAAA
Head coach	Fabre

That international composition makes communication and structure particularly important.

Fabre previously worked primarily within Turkish-speaking environments. Now he will need to establish systems in English while integrating players with different competitive backgrounds.

Familiar faces could ease the transition

The presence of jottAAA and soulfly should give Fabre some continuity.

Both players previously worked with him during his time at Aurora, meaning they already understand elements of his approach and expectations.

That familiarity could help during the early stages of the transition.

jottAAA previously played under Fabre at Aurora
soulfly also worked with the coach before returning to Eternal Fire
MisteM, regali and Kvem represent new coaching relationships
The lineup is currently ranked No. 67 in the VRS

Fabre will nevertheless need to build a new identity rather than simply recreate his previous Eternal Fire system.

The current lineup does not include the established Turkish stars that defined the organization’s earlier international success.

Eternal Fire have undergone major changes in 2026

Fabre’s arrival continues a busy period of restructuring.

The organization has made numerous roster changes during 2026, including the additions of regali, MisteM and Kvem. soulfly returned from Aurora in August, while other players including Woro2k, DemQQ, rigoN and br0 have moved out of the active lineup at different points.

The coaching position has also changed repeatedly.

yT joined Eternal Fire in May before departing in September, leaving the organization searching for another leader behind the team.

Fabre now receives the task of bringing stability to a roster that has spent much of the year changing personnel.

First English-speaking project adds new challenge

The most interesting part of Fabre’s return may be the language shift.

For the first time, he will coach a fully international team communicating in English.

That changes more than the language used during tactical discussions. Effective coaching also depends on quickly communicating adjustments, resolving mistakes and maintaining clarity during high-pressure moments.

Fabre has extensive experience with professional Counter-Strike, but this specific environment will be new.

His previous relationship with two members of the lineup should help, although adapting his methods to the entire roster may require time.

Assessment

Bringing Fabre back is a logical move for Eternal Fire.

He already understands the organization, has previously worked with two members of the active roster and was involved in some of the strongest Major results produced by Eternal Fire’s former core.

The challenge is that this is not the same team.

Eternal Fire are currently outside the highest tier of the Valve rankings, have undergone repeated roster changes and are attempting to establish an international identity rather than rebuilding the old Turkish lineup.

Fabre therefore returns with both familiarity and uncertainty.

His history with Eternal Fire gives the project a recognizable foundation, but his success will depend on whether he can translate that experience into an English-speaking roster with a completely different composition.

For Eternal Fire, the immediate priority is likely to be stability. After a year of substantial changes, Fabre’s return offers an opportunity to finally establish it.