Tarik Leaves Cloud9
Tarik “tarik” Celik was an in-game leader for American organization Cloud9. Furthermore, Tarik is a capable rifler, decent AWPer, and a pistol specialist. He is departing Cloud9 after a series of bad results. They were not able to get a top-5 finish in their last 3 tournaments. However, this is not the only reason why tarik decided to leave the American roster.
Tarik’s Legacy
After a total of 31 tournaments played for Cloud9, Tarik decided to look for his happiness somewhere else. He did a lot of good for the American organization as they managed to win several trophies with him on their roster. They have won 6 tournaments, including one Major. He was also crowned as an MVP of the ELEAGUE Major 2018. This is really something others can admire, as tarik just turned 22.
Stewie2k’s Departure
6 months ago, Cloud9 won their first major, they managed to beat FaZe, and guess who were the two players that dominated FaZe throughout the entire series? Stewie2k and tarik! Not so long after that, Stewie2k decided to leave Cloud9, as he replaced Taco on the former SK roster. That annoyed tarik, as he was soon surrounded by stand-in players for a long period of time. They had to work on the team chemistry, but that was not possible for as long as they did not have a permanent fifth member. One thing led to another, and Cloud9 found themselves in all sort of trouble. There were constant shuffles and no adequate replacement for their star player, as they brought in FNS, who was soon benched. This is the main reason why the ELEAGUE Major 2018 MVP decided to leave the best American organization.
Stressed Out
Having to play under constant pressure took a toll on tarik. As I mentioned above, constant shuffles can really stress someone out, as he was the guy that had to call the strats. It was very difficult for him to do that because of the constant roster shuffle. Once he learned how FNS played, they benched the Canadian player and brought in former mousesports support player STYKO. I strongly think that situations like this will get to the player, especially someone who is an in-game leader, and it will definitely impact his overall skill to play the game. Tarik had some flashes of greatness, but overall he blended in with the rest of the team. For instance, he was the worst Cloud9 player vs. Astralis, but not so long after that, he had a great showing with a rating of 1.41 by HLTV.ORG, where they demolished Swedish NiP. As you can see, he had a lot of ups and downs. The only thing he needed was a permanent fifth member.
What’s Next for Cloud9?
Cloud9 is left with only 3 active players on their roster, even though they have a 4th player in terms of FNS, who is benched and transfer-listed. They have been practicing a lot with the former mousesport player STYKO, as he will probably be their next permanent player. The Czech player could provide something new to their roster since he is a player based on supporting. He does not mind setting up a play for one of the star players with a smart utility usage or just by simply having their back.
Additionally, he is a decent rifler, but definitely not better than Stewie2k. On the other hand, the American organization will struggle to find a player similar to tarik. He was an all-around player with a great knowledge of the game. Rumors about “Golden” are spreading on the CS:GO scene, as the former Fnatic player is heavily linked with a permanent move to Cloud9. I do not think Golden would be a good replacement for the following reason. Indeed, he is a great in-game leader with a large knowledge of many different approaches and strategies. However, when you compare his raw aim with the likes of tarik, there is a huge gap between those two. Yes, he will bring a lot on the strategic side of the game, but skill-wise, Cloud9 will definitely lack a player.
While he was on team Fnatic, they caught fire, as they won 2 tournaments in a row and placed third in Golden’s last tournament. However, the Swedish in-game leader never got rated above 1.00 in all of these tournaments. Let’s go to details here. In his last tournament with Fnatic, he was rated with an average 0.77. Out of total count of 80 players who took part in DreamHack Marseille 2018, he was rated as the 79th player in the tournament, and that itself says a lot about him as a player.
What Does the Future Hold for Tarik?
I do not think that Tarik will have any problems finding a new team for himself. Even though he’s originally from Turkey, his English is fluent, as he spent most of his life living in the USA.
One of the main contenders for tarik’s signature is definitely MIBR. The former SK roster is in need of a change, as they have been in a slump for a long time now. Another thing that could bring tarik to MIBR is his former Cloud9 member Stewie2k. These two had a real bond, and it was not hard to spot that Stewie2k’s departure got to tarik. Could he be a turning point for MIBR? Could they return to former glory with tarik in their line-up? We will find out soon.
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