Fnatic parts ways with coach YoungBuck amid internal issues

William Davis Published 14/11/2019

Fnatic has parted ways with head coach Joey “YoungBuck” Steltenpool, who had overseen the team since 2018.

Fnatic is looking to enter 2020 with new coaching staff. The organization released coach YoungBuck, who led the team to the World Championship final in 2018. The change comes after an underwhelming result at the World Championship where Fnatic was knocked out in the quarterfinals despite high expectations.

YoungBuck leaves Fnatic

“This year, we still feel how painfully short we fell in two LEC splits before losing to FunPlus Phoenix at Worlds. We were obviously looking to create similar success in 2019, but we found ourselves quickly swamped by internal issues in Spring that we could not overcome as players and coaching staff by the year’s culmination,” wrote YoungBuck on a statement shared by Fnatic.

Fnatic has been open about internal issues. In episode two of Legends in Action, YoungBuck and the players addressed the general discontent. According to the video, the players were constantly blaming each other for the mistakes in-game and didn’t take responsibility for their own shortcomings.

More roster changes coming to Fnatic?

The hostile environment might be the reason behind YoungBuck’s departure. Rumors indicate that the head coach is not the only change for the team. According to different sources, the team is looking to renovate its roster and facilitate the transfer of at least some of its current players. Jungler Mads “Broxah” Brock-Pedersen is one of the possible transfers in the off-season.

The rumors place him in North America where organizations like Team SoloMid, who are actively looking for a jungler. North America is a region where European junglers and mid laners thrive, and the best example is the Danish trio of Dennis “Svenskeren” Johnsen, Nicolaj “Jensen” Jensen, and Søren “Bjergsen” Bjerg.

Martin “Rekkles” Larsson has also been rumored for a transfer, with Cloud9 being a potential destination as C9 debates its own roster’s future.

YoungBuck is also rumored to be joining the LCS, although the possible team is unclear at the moment. All roster changes will be confirmed after November 18 when free agency opens.

Read Also

Esports Betting

Why is the League of Legends MSI the LPL’s tournament? Wasif Ahmed In League of Legends, South Korea almost always wins the World Championship. However, it’s the LPL that has won more than half of the Mid-Season Invitationals since their launch in 2015. So why is MSI the LPL’s tournament? And what can we expect for the 2026 Mid-Season Invitational next week? First off, let’s have a look at the history and stats for the two regions at the LoL Worlds and ...

League of Legends

Fnatic founder denies rumors of organization being sold Hannan Mundia Fnatic founder and CEO Sam Mathews denied that the organization is set to be sold in the coming weeks. It wouldn’t be far-fetched to say that Fnatic has seen much better days. The team’s League of Legends and CS2 rosters have been seeing multiple recent changes, and the VALORANT team’s performance has been mixed this year. Considering the team’s performance, it didn’t surprise many when reports that the organization was ...

League of Legends

Hanwha Life Esports defeats T1 to qualify for MSI Hannan Mundia After a surprisingly one-sided match, Hanwha Life Esports defeated the reigning champions T1 to qualify for MSI at the 2026 LCK Road to MSI. The LCK is by far considered the strongest League of Legends region. While T1 and Gen.G’s rivalry is iconic, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that recent roster changes put HLE on the same playing field as the two giants. The addition of Zeus and ...

Esports Betting

T1 vs Gen.G 2026: Best betting odds and picks for LCK Road to MSI Hannan Mundia The 2026 LCK Road to MSI is almost over, with T1 and Gen.G having one last rematch in this split to determine which team qualifies for MSI. Both teams are in excellent shape, though T1’s recent loss against Hanwha Life Esports may put it at a disadvantage. Gen.G is looking extremely strong currently, and the clean sweep against KT Rolster proves that the team means business. Tournament: 2026 LCK Season ...

Esports Betting

Bilibili Gaming vs Team WE: Best betting odds and picks for the LPL Split 2 2026 Wasif Ahmed Bilibili Gaming faces Team WE in the LPL Split 2 playoffs, with neither team expected to be in the lower final. Everyone thought that BLG would go through the upper bracket and that WE would lose in the first round. Yet Team WE were the ones who knocked BLG down to the lower bracket. Now, the two teams rematch for the LPL’s final spot at Mid-Season Invitational. Tournament: LPL Split ...

Esports Betting

Gen.G vs KT Rolster 2026: Best betting odds and picks for LCK Road to MSI 2026 Hannan Mundia The 2026 LCK Road to MSI split is in full swing, with Gen.G and KT Rolster about to face off in round four to determine which team competes for a chance to qualify for MSI. Gen.G may be one of the strongest professional teams in the region, but KT Rolster has taken down the fan-favorite last year at Worlds when the stakes were higher than ever. The looming question here ...

Esports Betting

Hanwha Life Esports vs T1: Best betting odds and picks for the LCK Road to MSI 2026 match Hannan Mundia After a long rest, Hanwha Life Esports and T1 will compete in the 2026 LCK Road to MSI’s third round to determine which team gets an instant pass to MSI. Both teams performed the best in the recent LCK split, resulting in them getting the best possible seeds for the Road to MSI. The winner of this match qualifies for MSI, while the loser get one more chance in the ...