Sources: ENGH set to become Fnatic's head coach ahead of VCT EMEA Stage 2

Another major twist has emerged in Fnatic’s VCT EMEA season. The multiple-time regional champions are once again undergoing significant changes within their structure. At the conclusion of VCT EMEA Stage 1, the organization decided to move head coach Milan “Milan” de Meij to the bench. While assistant coach Casper “Desmo” Rasmussen had been serving in the role on an interim basis, Fnatic has now reportedly reached an agreement with Andrey “ENGH” Sholokhov for him to take over the position until the end of the season, according to sources close to Sheep Esports.

This move represents a significant turning point not only for Fnatic’s season, but also for Engh himself. The Russian coach recently saw his tenure with Karmine Corp come to an end after approximately two and a half years with the French organization. Known for his highly structured ideas and occasionally unconventional game plans, his arrival at Fnatic could ultimately become one of the most impactful roster moves of the VALORANT season.

After more than two seasons with Karmine Corp, Engh personally made the decision to step away from the team, believing that the project had reached its limits competitively. KC had finished last in their Stage 1 group without securing a single victory, and both the roster and its coach appeared in need of renewal. Despite the disappointing conclusion, Engh nevertheless remains the coach who delivered Karmine Corp’s first and only VALORANT title to date with the VCT EMEA Kickoff 2024 trophy. It therefore took him only a matter of weeks to find a new opportunity in VCT.

Outside of his time with KC, Engh is primarily remembered for his successful stint with Gambit Esports in 2021, during which he won Masters Berlin before finishing runner-up at VALORANT Champions after losing to Acend in the final. He now joins a Fnatic roster that reached the final of last year’s Champions event but has struggled to consistently return to the top of the region since then. After narrowly missing qualification for Masters Santiago during Kickoff, Fnatic’s Stage 1 campaign was further disrupted by the health issues of Sylvain “Veqaj” Pattyn, who was forced to step back from the active lineup.

Fnatic remains in contention for qualification to the Esports World Cup through the EMEA Qualifier and will then need to deliver a significantly stronger Stage 2 campaign if the organization hopes to secure a place at Champions Shanghai. ENGH therefore arrives at one of the most prestigious organizations in the VALORANT scene with the responsibility of steering the team back toward contention.