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Team Liquid has officially bid farewell to Counter-Strike coach Damian “daps” Steele, as confirmed by the organization.
Daps, who joined the team in June 2022, played a pivotal role in guiding Liquid through a successful period, particularly after the acquisition of YEKINDAR bolstered the North American squad.
However, the team’s fortunes took a downturn as they transitioned to a European lineup led by YEKINDAR, resulting in a lack of success and prompting Liquid to undergo another rebuilding phase.
Alongside daps, the organization also parted ways with Robert “Patsi” Isyanov and moved Aleks “Rainwaker” Petrov to the bench.
The restructuring process at Liquid is apparent, with reports suggesting that Felipe “skullz” Medeiros, Casper “cadiaN” Møller, and Russel “Twistzz” Van Dulken are potential signings.
As the roster undergoes significant changes, only Keith “NAF” Markovic and Mareks “YEKINDAR” Gaļinskis are reportedly set to remain.
In the wake of daps’ departure, the coaching reins are expected to be taken over by Wilton “zews” Prado, though an official announcement is yet to be made.
Zews, a former coach for Liquid, is anticipated to make a return to the North American organization.
Our time with @daps comes to a close ahead of 2024.
We appreciate his dedication to being the best we can be, getting our rosters on the same page and being the calm voice of reason out of the server.
Thank you & best of luck in the future, Damian! pic.twitter.com/IfONjjTbPL
— Team Liquid CSGO (@TeamLiquidCS) November 20, 2023
Daps’ 17-month tenure with Liquid saw multiple top-four finishes, narrowly missing out on titles like the BLAST Premier World Final 2022 and ESL Pro League Season 16.
However, the subsequent months were marked by underwhelming performances as the newly formed European roster failed to find its rhythm.
With Liquid coachless heading into 2024, the organization has until ESL Pro League Season 19 on April 23, 2024, to solidify its next squad.
As the CS2 landscape undergoes changes, including the potential return of NRG, the future destination of daps and the coaching dynamics in North American Counter-Strike remain uncertain.
