Gaming
esports
How HenryG is rebuilding Cloud9's CS:GO programme
HenryG has gone from caster to general manager and has some big aspirations for his new C9 CS:GO team.
Whenever the Counter-Strike hall of fame is formed, Henry 'HenryG' Greer will surely be a first-ballot entrant. These days he's best known as one of the most iconic voices to go alongside the biggest CS:GO matches, in years gone he was one of the best CS Source players in the world, winning multiple tournaments and even being a key player in the ill-fated Championship Gaming Series from the mid-00s.
Now, after doing pretty much everything there is to do when it comes to casting, HenryG has made a surprising, but very exciting move. He's now the general manager of Cloud9's CS:GO department and has already made a big impact on the CS:GO landscape.
"Moving from commentator to GM was a difficult decision," says HenryG. "If I was going to do it, it had to be with a brand that aligned with my vision on how to build a CS:GO team and also my visions on the esports landscape. What I'm doing is so much bigger than just managing an esports team: I'm also fighting for positive change in our community, a fight Cloud9 is also part of. C9 have entrusted me with their entire CS:GO dynasty and, honestly, I think that's one of the boldest moves any org has made in a long time."
Prior to HenryG joining Cloud9, the organisation's CS:GO division had seen some turbulent times. Since their momentous win at the Boston Major in 2018, the Cloud9 team has been in a state of flux, with players coming and going on a regular basis. So, when HenryG took the reins, he knew it was time to gut everything and start again.
"Starting from the very ground floor was the only way to operate," he says. "Too many compromises have been made at this level of the game with other teams and I feel like I've learnt so much from their mistakes. Starting with my coach, Aleksandar 'kassad' Trifunović, we've been able to design our blueprint for the perfect team. So far we haven't had to make any compromises. I want to create a healthy environment for my players, where they feel they have job security and are being utilised in a role that makes sense for their particular set of talents."
Shortly after the announcement that HenryG would be the new GM for Cloud9, more major news came from the organisation. He announced that the first player on his new team and the in-game leader would be British player Alex 'ALEX' McMeekin. But that wasn't all. He also announced that the deal to bring Alex to Cloud9 was worth almost $1.7 million. Rarely do we get any idea about the money involved with these kinds of deals, but HenryG decided to come straight out and reveal the specifics, hoping the rest of the industry will follow suit.
"I've known Alex for many years and we obviously have a patriotic connection," says HenryG. "I trust him fully with the team and his desire to win trophies. I was a former in-game leader myself and it was something that I pride my career on when I look back at it. I see fantastic leadership qualities in Alex and I think he's only at the start of his journey. I'm giving him the keys to the car to get to the destination of glory. He knows what he has to do to succeed with this team.
"I released my information because we simply have nothing to hide. There are no hidden fees, inflated numbers or expenses we might have undertaken that we sow into the final number. I want to provide a transparent window to our fans as to how I'm spending the club's money and we should be celebrating this world-class talent we've secured for the future of Cloud9. This allows other players and teams to assess their market value and remove the veil that was hiding away the numbers of our fantastic industry. I know others will follow suit."
With the first player secured and a clear vision in place, it was time for HenryG to start building the rest of the team. With a lot of the top teams sticking together through the player break – which is usually a time for a lot of change in CS:GO – there weren't too many big-name free agents to pick from, but for HenryG this was never the strategy.
"I'll be honest and say I haven't had a huge amount of respect for the methodology used in other 'ground floor' projects so far," he tells us. "The focus is always around 'big' names that are available and then attempting to crowbar others into roles they aren't really suited for, resulting in a year's journey to even reach their initial goals. Kassad and I are only focused on following our specific blueprint for a world class CS unit that can challenge for the trophies."
HenryG has left the casting desk for good
© ESL/Adela Sznajder
This ideology has seen the team pick up Özgür 'woxic' Eker, who'll no doubt be one of the main stars of the team with his incredible mechanical skill that we've seen on the likes of HellRaisers and Mousesports. Joining woxic and Alex is a name you may not have heard of before, but one that HenryG is confident will become a household name: UK player William 'mezii' Merriman, who has been a star of the UK scene for a few years.
"With the beefy acquisition of Mezii, prodigal son of the UK, I can emphatically state that British Counter-Strike is back on the menu and what might at first sound like an exotic name to many of you, will soon be as familiar and beloved as mum's Sunday roast beef with all the trimmings," says HenryG, hyping up his new UK star. Ladies and gentlemen, this young man will make up the meat of my multi-national feast, anchoring sites and delivering reliably supportive performances to create the foundation from which our stars can excel."
The rest of the new Cloud9 CS:GO team is yet to be announced, but with these three players, an excellent coach and a switched-on GM, the future is once again looking bright for the Cloud9 CS:GO division, which has been struggling for a while. For HenryG, this is just the start of what he sees as a long journey and there's only one goal that he and the team are aiming for.
"It's no secret now that I'm putting everything on the line for this team," says HenryG. "I left behind a commentating legacy that's difficult to rival and I have the same expectations of myself as general manager. I wouldn't have accepted this role at Cloud9 unless I was 100 per cent sure I was capable of building a team that will deliver results that would put us in contention for the next Major trophy. I have all the resources, knowledge and staff required to achieve those goals. The rest is up to me and I accept that responsibility, for better or worse."
