Blade — The Best Coach in CS History?

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In the world of Counter-Strike esports, the name Andrii "B1ad3" Horodenskyi has long been associated with brilliance and unmatched strategic thinking. His contributions to the development of professional CS are invaluable, and Blade's achievements speak for themselves. He has nurtured a generation of modern superstars and led two different rosters to the pinnacle of global esports. But what truly makes him the greatest CS coach in history? Let's explore the key aspects of his coaching career.

The Birth of a Legend: Blade's Journey with NAVI

Blade's story with NAVI began in March 2019 when he joined the organization as the sports director. At that time, the team was in a volatile state: despite having a talented lineup, the internal chemistry was lacking. While Blade, in his managerial role, couldn't directly interfere with the training process, he focused on creating a comfortable working atmosphere and did everything possible to maintain the team's morale. In September 2019, after Zeus and Kane's departure, Blade was given the opportunity to become the head coach in CS and began drastically reshaping the roster, embedding his ideas and strategies into the core of the team's gameplay.

Building a Winning Roster

When Blade joined NAVI in March 2019, the team was facing significant challenges. At that time, he was the sports director, not the coach, and his responsibilities included a wide range of operational tasks, such as organizing bootcamps, conducting transfers, and testing players. However, his influence on the team was already palpable. The team remained at a tier-1 level, but it lacked stability and synergy among players.

A turning point came in September 2019 when Zeus and Kane left NAVI, and Blade was promoted to head coach. He now had stars like s1mple and electronic, as well as captain Kirill "Boombl4" Mikhailov, who was just beginning to adapt to his role as a leader at the tier-1 level.

Blade's first significant move was bringing in Illia "Perfecto" Zalutskiy to the team in January 2020. At that time, Illia was a player from the second tier of teams, and his transfer to NAVI was a surprise to many. However, Blade saw potential in him, which was unlocked through the right approach to training and development. Perfecto quickly adapted to the team's demands and became a key element in their strategy, excelling in support roles and performing consistently in challenging situations.

Another crucial decision was promoting Valerii "B1T" Vakhovskyi from NAVI's academy to the main roster. Initially, the team experimented with a six-player rotation, but it soon became clear that this was ineffective. Blade CS2 decided that B1T should become a permanent member of the main lineup, and he was right. The young player quickly proved his competence at the highest level, delivering consistent results and not being overshadowed by more experienced opponents.

Boombl4 became a central figure in Blade's new strategy. Although he was a young and inexperienced captain, Blade managed to integrate him into the system so that Kirill maximized his strengths. It’s worth noting that Boombl4 became the player who literally "called" based on the coach’s instructions, allowing Blade to fully implement his tactical ideas. As a result, with Boombl4 in the lineup, NAVI reached unprecedented heights.

By spring 2021, when NAVI's roster was fully formed under Blade's guidance, every player on the team had gone through his school. This led to their rise to the top of the HLTV rankings and the beginning of the "NAVI era" in CS:GO. The culmination was their victory in the Intel Grand Slam and, of course, the long-awaited Major championship in Stockholm in 2021.

New Challenges: European Roster and s1mple's Departure

2023 was one of the most challenging years in Blade's coaching career. After Kirill "Boombl4" Mikhailov left in 2022, NAVI struggled to find a new captain and rebuild the roster. The team went through a turbulent period, eventually leading to a radical decision: NAVI opted to switch to a European roster, moving away from their traditional CIS format.

For Blade, this was a difficult but necessary decision. Transitioning to a European roster opened up new opportunities but also required a complete overhaul of the player selection process and the team's game plan. Blade had to find players who not only possessed a high level of skill but were also willing to work within his system. NAVI spent a month and a half testing various candidates before settling on Finnish captain Aleksi "Aleksib" Virolainen and Romanian players Justinas "jL" Savickas and Mihai "iM" Ivan.

Blade made no illusions about the level of the new players. He openly admitted that he chose them from tier-2 and tier-3 scenes because they fit his vision and were ready to learn and work within his system. The signing of Aleksib was particularly significant; despite his past struggles, he was chosen for his leadership qualities and ability to translate Blade's ideas into gameplay. This decision was met with mixed reactions from fans, but Blade was confident in his choice, seeing Aleksib as the perfect captain for the new team.

However, the most serious challenge for Blade and the entire NAVI team was the departure of Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev, who decided to take a break after the release of CS2. s1mple had been the team's core player and a key element of their strategy for many years, and his absence created a massive void. But Blade once again demonstrated his ability to adapt. Instead of trying to find a replacement at s1mple's level, he focused on building a team where each player could contribute to the overall success.

To replace s1mple, 18-year-old Igor "w0nderful" Zvarych from Sprout was signed. This move caused concern among fans, as w0nderful had limited experience at the top level. However, Blade saw immense potential in him and believed that his youth and flexibility would allow him to develop the player according to the team's needs. This transfer symbolized the completion of a process in which every player in the new NAVI roster was personally chosen and groomed by Blade, becoming his "personal project."

Despite mixed results and skepticism from the community, Blade continued to work tirelessly on developing the new roster. The results came quickly. At the first CS2 Major, NAVI triumphantly took first place, with Blade once again raising the trophy above his head.

Blade as the Architect of Victory

Andrii "B1ad3" Horodenskyi rightfully deserves to be considered one of the best coaches in CS history. His ability to build teams, adapt to changing circumstances, and see in players what others do not make him unique in the world of esports. Blade is not just a coach—he is an architect of winning rosters, each leaving its mark on the history of Counter-Strike. And no matter how many challenges lie ahead, one thing remains certain: Blade will continue to lead his teams to new heights.