Fnatic’s Head Coach YamatoCannon Reportedly Moving On After Two Seasons
Jakob “YamatoCannon” Mebdi, the head coach for Fnatic’s League of Legends team, is reportedly leaving the organization after two seasons. According to a report by Alejandro Gomis of Blix.gg, Fnatic will be promoting and signing new coaches for both the LEC and ERL levels for the 2023 season, leaving YamatoCannon available in the market.
New Coaching Assignments for Fnatic’s LEC and ERL Teams
For the upcoming season, Fnatic’s LEC team will be coached by Gonçalo “Crusher” Pinto Brandão, who is currently the head coach of Fnatic TQ, the franchise’s ERL-level team competing in the Spanish Superliga.
Joshua “Jarge” Smith to Fill Void at Fnatic TQ
Taking over as the new coach for Fnatic TQ will be Joshua “Jarge” Smith. Jarge brings extensive coaching experience from organizations like Excel, Team Liquid, and Movistar Riders. Notably, he previously worked with Fnatic as an analyst in 2015, making his return to the organization a reunion after almost eight years.
YamatoCannon’s Legacy with Fnatic and Future Plans
YamatoCannon’s tenure with Fnatic spanned two years, during which he led the team to the LEC playoffs in multiple splits and secured a place at Worlds in both seasons. In 2020, he made history as the first Western coach to be signed as a head coach in Korea’s LCK with Liiv SANDBOX. Although his time in Korea was short-lived, he left a lasting impact. It remains uncertain whether YamatoCannon will return to Korea or explore other opportunities. He returned to the LEC after the 2020 season due to personal reasons.
According to the League global contract database, YamatoCannon’s contract with Fnatic will expire on Nov. 21.
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