Fabre Returns to Eternal Fire as Head Coach After yT Exit

Sezgin “Fabre” Kalaycı has returned to Eternal Fire as the organization’s head coach, taking over following the departure of Yiğit “yT” Özden.

The September 11 move brings Fabre back to an organization he represented for nearly three years before leaving alongside Eternal Fire’s former Turkish lineup for Aurora in April 2025. This time, however, the assignment is significantly different: Fabre will coach an international, English-speaking roster for the first time in his career. 

Quick summary

Detail	Information
Move	Fabre returns to Eternal Fire
Role	Head coach
Replaces	yT
Announcement date	September 11, 2026
Previous EF coaching period	2022–2025
Previous organization	Aurora
Familiar players	jottAAA, soulfly
Current roster format	International / English-speaking
VRS position at announcement	No. 67, according to HLTV
Confirmation	Officially announced by Eternal Fire, reported by HLTV

Fabre returns to Eternal Fire after yT departure

Eternal Fire has appointed Fabre as its new head coach following the recent departure of yT.

The move represents a reunion rather than a completely new relationship. Fabre previously coached Eternal Fire's Turkish lineup from 2022 until 2025 and was part of the group that moved to Aurora in April 2025. 

Fabre's first Eternal Fire spell included one of the most important periods in the organization's Counter-Strike history. He was behind the team during its run to the quarter-finals of PGL Major Copenhagen 2024.

After the core moved to Aurora, Fabre continued working with the roster and was behind the team during its semi-final run at the IEM Cologne Major. Aurora later parted ways with him in June 2026. 

His return therefore restores an experienced figure to Eternal Fire's coaching staff, but it does not recreate the lineup he previously coached.

Instead, Fabre inherits a five-player international roster featuring soulfly, MisteM, regali, Kvem and jottAAA. 

Eternal Fire roster after Fabre's return

The team's lineup following the coaching change is:

Player	Country	Status
Caner “soulfly” Kesici	Turkey	Active
Gareth “MisteM” Ries	South Africa	Active
Iulian “regali” Harjău	Romania	Active
Vladyslav “Kvem” Korol	Ukraine	Active
Samet “jottAAA” Köklü	Turkey	Active
Sezgin “Fabre” Kalaycı	Turkey	Head coach

HLTV listed this five-player lineup alongside Fabre when reporting his appointment. 

The composition is particularly notable because Fabre's previous high-level coaching work was centered on Turkish lineups. HLTV describes the current Eternal Fire team as the first English-speaking roster of his coaching career. 

Fabre and Eternal Fire: background and context

Fabre's relationship with Eternal Fire dates back to November 2022, when he joined as coach.

That appointment eventually developed into a lengthy partnership with a Turkish core that became increasingly competitive internationally. Eternal Fire's strongest results from that era included a quarter-final appearance at PGL Major Copenhagen 2024, second place at ESL Pro League Season 20 and runner-up status at the BLAST Bounty 2025 Season 1 Finals. 

The relationship changed dramatically in April 2025.

Eternal Fire's roster, including Fabre, moved to Aurora. HLTV's transfer history records Fabre's switch from Eternal Fire to Aurora on April 5, 2025. 

Fabre remained attached to the former EF core until Aurora announced his departure on June 29, 2026. 

Just over two months later, he has returned to Eternal Fire.

Fabre–Eternal Fire timeline

Date	Development
November 2022	Fabre joins Eternal Fire as coach
2022–2025	Coaches Eternal Fire's Turkish roster
March 2024	Eternal Fire reaches PGL Major Copenhagen quarter-finals
April 5, 2025	Fabre and the former Eternal Fire lineup move to Aurora
2025–2026	Fabre coaches the Aurora roster
June 29, 2026	Aurora parts ways with Fabre
September 8, 2026	Eternal Fire parts ways with yT
September 11, 2026	Eternal Fire announces Fabre as head coach

The coaching and transfer dates are supported by HLTV's reporting and team/player histories. 

Why Fabre's Eternal Fire return matters

The importance of the move goes beyond Eternal Fire hiring a replacement coach.

Fabre already understands the organization and has extensive experience working within Turkish Counter-Strike. That familiarity potentially reduces some of the uncertainty normally associated with introducing an entirely new coach.

At the same time, the roster he inherits is fundamentally different.

The previous Eternal Fire team Fabre coached was built around a Turkish core. The current lineup combines players from Turkey, South Africa, Romania and Ukraine. 

That creates a new challenge: translating his previous coaching experience into an international environment.

Two players should provide continuity.

Fabre has already worked with jottAAA and soulfly during his time with Aurora, meaning he will not be entering a completely unfamiliar lineup. 

That existing relationship could help during the transition, although its practical impact on Eternal Fire's results remains to be seen.

Tactical impact

Fabre's appointment could affect Eternal Fire's preparation structure, communication and broader tactical development, but no official information has yet detailed specific changes to the team's system.

It would therefore be premature to claim that Eternal Fire will immediately change its map pool, leadership hierarchy or tactical identity.

The most important confirmed difference is the environment in which Fabre will operate. According to HLTV, this will be the first English-speaking roster of his coaching career. 

Communication is consequently one of the clearest areas to monitor.

How quickly Fabre establishes an effective working relationship with MisteM, regali and Kvem — alongside the already familiar jottAAA and soulfly — could determine how smoothly the new coaching structure develops.

Tournament and VRS impact

At the time HLTV reported the appointment, Eternal Fire were No. 67 in the Valve Regional Standings. 

A coaching appointment itself does not provide an automatic VRS boost. Eternal Fire will need competitive results to improve their position.

That makes Fabre's immediate task different from his previous spell with the organization. Rather than returning to an established top-level Turkish core, he is joining a developing international project that has undergone repeated personnel changes during 2026.

Eternal Fire's recent roster history includes the additions of Kvem and br0 in July, followed by another adjustment in August when br0 was benched, soulfly was signed and jottAAA's loan was made permanent.

Fabre's arrival could now provide a degree of coaching continuity after that period of restructuring.

Historical comparison: Fabre's two Eternal Fire eras

First Eternal Fire spell	Second Eternal Fire spell
Began in 2022	Began September 2026
Primarily Turkish roster	International roster
Turkish communication environment	First English-speaking roster of Fabre's career
Established relationship with former EF core	Familiar with jottAAA and soulfly
Developed into Major playoff contender	Starting point: No. 67 VRS at announcement
Ended with roster's move to Aurora	Competitive outcome TBD

The contrast is important.

Fabre's return should not simply be viewed as Eternal Fire rebuilding its old team. While several familiar connections exist, the organization is asking the coach to work under materially different roster conditions.

What changes now for Eternal Fire?

The most immediate change is straightforward: Eternal Fire again has a head coach after yT's departure.

Fabre now takes responsibility for a lineup featuring jottAAA, soulfly, Kvem, regali and MisteM.

The appointment also reconnects several pieces of the former Turkish project. Fabre, jottAAA and soulfly have previously worked together, while Eternal Fire itself provides Fabre with a familiar organizational environment.

What remains unknown is how much the team's playing style will change.

No confirmed information has been provided regarding adjustments to in-game leadership, player roles, map responsibilities or the broader tactical system. Those areas should remain TBD until they are demonstrated in official matches or discussed publicly by the team.

What to watch next

Fabre's first matches back behind Eternal Fire will provide the clearest evidence of what his return actually changes.

Communication will be especially important because of the roster's international composition. The team's map pool, CT-side structure, T-side calling patterns and mid-round coordination will offer early indicators of whether a recognizable system is developing.

Eternal Fire's VRS trajectory is another measurable storyline. HLTV listed the team at No. 67 when announcing Fabre's arrival, so future tournament results will determine whether the new coaching setup can move the project upward. 

Finally, roster stability deserves attention. Eternal Fire has made several changes during 2026, making Fabre's arrival potentially important not only tactically but also as an attempt to establish a more settled structure. 

Related teams, players and events

Eternal Fire: Fabre's current organization and the team he previously coached between 2022 and 2025.

Fabre: Turkish coach Sezgin Kalaycı, now beginning his second coaching spell with Eternal Fire.

jottAAA: Current Eternal Fire player who previously worked with Fabre.

soulfly: Another member of the current lineup with previous experience under Fabre.

Aurora: Organization Fabre joined with the former Eternal Fire roster in April 2025.

yT: Eternal Fire's previous coach, whose departure opened the position now occupied by Fabre.

PGL Major Copenhagen 2024: Eternal Fire reached the quarter-finals under Fabre.

FAQ

Who is Eternal Fire's new CS2 coach?

Sezgin “Fabre” Kalaycı is Eternal Fire's head coach. His return was announced on September 11, 2026, following yT's departure. 

Has Fabre coached Eternal Fire before?

Yes. Fabre coached Eternal Fire from 2022 until 2025 before moving to Aurora with the team's former lineup. 

Who is on Eternal Fire's roster with Fabre?

The active lineup consists of soulfly, MisteM, regali, Kvem and jottAAA, with Fabre serving as head coach. 

Why did Fabre leave Eternal Fire in 2025?

Fabre left when Eternal Fire's then-roster moved to Aurora in April 2025. He continued coaching the lineup there before parting ways with Aurora in June 2026. 

What is different about Fabre's second Eternal Fire spell?

The biggest confirmed difference is roster composition. Fabre previously coached a Turkish lineup, whereas the current Eternal Fire squad is international. HLTV reports that this will be the first English-speaking roster of his coaching career.