Reports say Cloud9 close to signing Xeppaa and coach Elmapuddy

Fariha Bhatti Published 05/01/2021

Several reports have claimed that Cloud9 is all but set to acquire Erick “Xeppaa” Bach to its active roster, while the discussions to sign Chris “Elmapuddy” Tebbit as the head coach are also underway.

The reports of Xeppaa joining HenryG’s colossus first came from 1pvr. According to the website’s sources, the deal has nearly been sealed and the player will soon join the North American organization. If the move comes to fruition, Xeppaa will get a chance to play professional Counter Strike: Global Offensive once again, as most of Chaos esports’ players received no offers after the organization’s exit.

Cloud9’s quintet has displayed a decent performance as a new lineup across several tournaments. It seems unlikely that the organization is looking to replace one of its five players. However, general manager Henrgy “HenryG” Greer has previously confirmed that the team would have an extended roster in the future. With Xeppaa’s addition, Cloud9 will join other organizations that are extending their rosters to achieve better results and create opportunities to rest their players.

Cloud9 in talks with Gen.G’s former coach Elmapuddy

It seems that Cloud9 is decorating its colossal roster with several new additions. The organization remains incomplete even after Xeppaa joining the team as the roster is currently operating without a coach.

The report of Xeppaa entering Cloud9 was quickly followed by the news of the North American organization eyeing Elmapuddy to lead its CSGO team. According to a report by Rush B Media, Cloud9 is targetting Elmapuddy to join ALEX in supervising the roster. The coach is reportedly in talks with the organization to fill the slot left by Aleksandar “kassad” Trifunović due to a clash of styles with the in-game leader Alex “ALEX” McMeekin.

Coach kassad leaves Cloud9 following clash with ALEX

General manager HenryG has told Rush B Media that discussions with the potential new coach are going well.

“While nothing has been made official as of yet, it is no secret that we are in deep talks with Chris ‘Elmapuddy’ Tebbit. He’s an absolutely fantastic coach and negotiations are going extremely well. I can’t wait to update you all later in the week,” HenryG said.

Gen. G’s CSGO division is currently on the transfer list, allowing Elmapuddy to take the reigns at Cloud9 should the transfer materialize. In a market that is plagued with coaches complicit in bug exploit, Elmapuddy seems like Cloud9’s best option. The coach has previously worked in Cloud9 as an assistant coach and currently has a decent experience to guide the team in the correct direction. The team should reveal any changes in the coming weeks as Cloud9 is set to play its first match of the year in IEM Katowice 2021 on February 16.

Cloud9 colossus’ new roster if the deals materialize:

Alex “⁠ALEX⁠“ McMeekin
Özgür “⁠woxic⁠“ Eker
William “⁠mezii⁠“ Merriman
Ricky “⁠floppy⁠“ Kemery
Patrick “⁠es3tag⁠“ Hansen
Erick “⁠Xeppaa⁠“ Bach
Chris “⁠Elmapuddy⁠“ Tebbit (coach)

Fariha Bhatti

About Fariha Bhatti

Fariha Bhatti is a long-time gaming writer who loves competitive FPS games and slots with particularly fun themes. She got her start playing classic games developed by SNK, from legendary fighting game series The King of Fighters to challenging platform franchise Metal Slug. She now spends most of her time playing Valorant and Counter-Strike 2 while working her way through new slot releases to find her next favorite. Fariha has been published at PCGamesN, TalkEsport and ONE Esports.

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