Cover-Credits:
Sentinels has signed former FaZe Clan Valorant player Shane “Rawkus” Flaherty as the team’s new coach. The North American team has played most of the Valorant Champions Tour without an official coach and has won two Masters events. But with the first-ever Valorant world championship at stake, it looks like the team does not want to leave anything to chance.
Who is Shane “Rawkus” Flaherty?
Rawkus won the Overwatch World Cup 2019 with the United States team and was an active player in the Houston Outlaws team in the Overwatch League. He transitioned to Valorant last year and was part of FaZe Clan until Sentinels signed him, which has led him to his first coaching role.
The new Sentinels coach has tons of esports experience. During his time in Valorant, the team secured a win at the VCT Stage 1 Challengers 3 event along with a second-place finish at Stage 1 Masters. But FaZe Clan was unable to win the North America Last Chance Qualifier, which means that the team will not be participating in Valorant Champions.
Sentinels is looking to solidify its roster following its Masters Berlin loss
It looks like two-time Masters winners Sentinels is looking to solidify its roster ahead of Valorant Champions. The team played without a coach for the majority of 2021 and dominated LAN events, but the players suffered a rude awakening at Masters Berlin. The team lost 2-0 to Team Envy at knockout stages and earlier in the event, G2 Esports managed to beat Sentinels 13-3 on Icebox which came as a shock to Sentinels fans.
While Sentinels are still one of the favorites to win Valorant Champions and has been the most consistent team of 2021, the team is not looking to take any chances. The addition of Rawkus as a coach may help the team get the winning edge it needs to become the first-ever Valorant world champions.
The future of the FaZe Clan Valorant Roster
FaZe Clan’s Valorant roster might go through major restructuring with multiple players reportedly looking for new teams. In addition to Rawkus leaving the FaZe Clan roster, Zachary “ZachaREEE” Lombardo and Corey "Corey" Nigra are also considering opportunities at other teams. FaZe Clan has been consistent throughout the Valorant Champions Tour but it failed to win events at crucial moments, leading the team to lose its opportunity so see itself through to Valorant Champions.
