A few weeks ago we discussed what was going wrong with Fnatic and the potential next steps. The one thing that fans would not have expected was for them to part ways with Mushi. Arguably one of the best known players in the world, Mushi was a big part of Fnatic from early 2015. Fnatic are now left with Ohiayo and Febby looking for three. Let’s take a look at what’s next for the SEA powerhouse.
A Brief History of Fnatic.Mushi
Chai “Mushi” Yee Fung’s Team Malaysia were picked up by Fnatic on June 4th, 2015. This would be the start to a long relationship between the two parties, looking as if it would never end.
During his time with Fnatic, Mushi captained the team to an outstanding fourth place finish at The Internation 2016. This was potentially a highlight of his career, and things were looking good following TI. However, this turned out to be wrong; things would slowly begin to fall apart. The signs were there, and the cracks began to show.
The Cracks Begin to Show
As mentioned in the previous piece on Fnatic, the True Sight documentary really exposed some of the issues in the team. The documentary seemed to cast Mushi in a very dim light, something that has been argued about since the first showing. It was difficult for new players to become adjusted to the team as they were in awe of Mushi. The fact that neither new player could speak up to Mushi eventually caused the roster to fall apart, and would result in them not qualifying for the Boston Major. After failure to make it to Boston, the roster would eventually disband, leaving Mushi and long term partner in crime Ohiayo to start again.
The Beginning of The End
ESL One Genting was a low point for both Fnatic and Mushi. Fnatic would have had no expectations heading into ESL, but they looked lifeless as they were swept aside. Things had to change heading into the StarLadder and DAC qualifiers. Unfortunately for Fnatic, they did not. After a disappointing showing in the StarLadder qualifiers, they pulled out of DAC in hopes of resolving the current issues plaguing the team.
A Life After Mushi
In the previous Fnatic article, we believed that there was still life in the roster, with a few additions. Fnatic obviously disagreed; parting ways with Mushi seems like a crazy decision. Fnatic are now left with long term member Ohiayo and newcomer Febby. Whilst both these players are very talented, the future of Fnatic does not look bright.
With the DAC qualifiers nearing an end, fans should expect some roster changes in the near future. Due to the brand of Fnatic, they will have the power to attract top players to the organisation. However, the current talent in SEA is limited to a few teams that have established successful rosters. It seems as if Fnatic will have to scrape the barrel for talent in hope of qualifying for Kiev.
Is Europe The Way Forward?
With the dropping of Mushi, there have been rumors that Fnatic may be changing SEA for EU. Whilst this may seem unlikely as the organisation have backed current players Ohiayo and Febby, it is not beyond the realms of possibility. The newly formed B)ears team would be an ideal candidate. The roster is currently without a sponsor and have made a great start to life in the DAC EU qualifiers.
The rosters consists of:
- Feras “Feero” Hroob
- Adrian “FATA-” Trinks
- Lee “Forev” Sang-don
- Yazied “YapzOr” Jaradat
- Adam “343” Hussein
Fnatic have previously ventured into the EU scene, so the thought of them doing so again is possible. Picking up the B)ears squad would be a strong move, but the organisation may be reluctant due to their ties with SEA.
Final Thoughts
The Fnatic of old has crashed and burned. It’s now up to Ohiayo and Febby to rebuild the SEA powerhouses back to their former glory. Can this be done? Only time will tell. One thing is for sure, the road ahead will not be easy. With the backing of Fnatic, there may be light at the end of the tunnel. I’m sure that everyone wishes Mushi the best moving forward, hopefully he can find a team and continue to play at the top level.
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