Fnatic mini steps down as team Head Coach

With the VCT offseason underway, many teams are making different moves to strengthen themselves in the best possible way for the 2024 season. However, even teams with a practically flawless season are making some changes.

Fnatic, a team that dominated the 2023 VCT EMEA League season, will win the VCT LOCK//IN Sao Paulo 2023 and the VCT Masters Tokyo. However, their end of the season was somewhat disappointing, as they could not get very far in the VALORANT Champions 2023, so rumors about changes in the team’s lineup started.

However, after denying these rumors, the organization announced in the last hours that Jacob “mini” Harris is stepping down as Head Coach of the team. This is unexpected news for the team and the community, as we were sure Fnatic would remain intact next season.

Fnatic announce mini is stepping down as Head Coach of the team

Through a post on their official Twitter/X account, Fnatic announced that mini is stepping down as Head Coach of the team and cited personal reasons of the coach. In addition, the post refers to mini making this decision because he wants to “explore options” in other teams that would allow him to “better reconcile” his personal life with his work life.

Following our VALORANT team’s outstanding achievements during the VCT 2024 campaign, Coach Jacob ‘@minijake_‘ Harris has made the personal decision to step down from the Head Coach position.

This decision has come after careful consideration from Mini to explore options for a… pic.twitter.com/lVEKenibZ9

— FNATIC (@FNATIC) September 11, 2023

As we mentioned, Fnatic comes from dominating the EMEA region at will in 2023, as they won Masters Tokyo and VCT LOCK//IN. However, the team’s defeats in the VCT EMEA League final and the premature exit from the VALORANT Champions made the team have a complicated end of the season. Moreover, during all this time, mini was one of the fundamental pillars of the team, as his experience as Head Coach is impressive.

This does not mean that mini is saying goodbye to Fnatic, as the organization explained that they are in talks with the coach to stay with the team in a different role. There is talk that he could return as an assistant coach or analyst for VCT 2024. However, everything remains in mini’s hands, as it is a personal decision and, as we see, one that he must make together with his family.

You’ve been the GOAT coach, and an incredible human.

Hope to continue to work with you in the future!

🧡🖤

— Sam Mathews (@sammathews) September 11, 2023

Fnatic searches the market for a new Head Coach

The departure of mini makes Fnatic must explore options in this wide market that began with the offseason of the VCT 2023. In addition, this is a big challenge for both the new coach and the organization, as mini has been in charge of the team since the 2021 season.

The 29-year-old coach claimed at the time that the team was “tired” from all the travel, events, and games they played throughout the season and even said they took some days off due to extreme exhaustion in the squad. As a result, everything seems to indicate that the pressure and wear and tear are taking its toll on mini, who wants to have a little more demanding work that will allow him to have a little more peace of mind.

Header: Colin Young-Wolff | Riot Games