Team Spirit has released a public statement on their Twitter profile detailing the finalized coaching staff for their Counter-Strike 2 division. Sergey “hally” Shavaev is officially returning as the head coach and head of the Team Spirit CS2 project, though unexpected circumstances will delay his physical reunion with the active roster.
Defining the coaching roles
In his returning position, hally will take charge of strategic planning, monitoring team dynamics, and selecting tournament participation for the competitive season. He will work directly alongside coach Dmitriy “S0tF1k” Forostyanko and in-game leader Boris “magixx” Vorobiev.
During 2026, hally was sidelined due to health issues. S0tF1k stepped in to stand behind the players during recent tournaments. Prior to this, S0tF1k served as the academy coach for Team Spirit, where he guided Danil “donk” Kryshkovets before the player transitioned to the main roster. The organization stated that preparation for the upcoming Major using this combined coaching setup has been highly successful.
Setback ahead of Stage 2 in Cologne
The planned physical debut of the full coaching duo was scheduled for the current Major in Cologne. The team will instead begin their campaign in Germany without physical support from either coach at the arena. S0tF1k was denied a Schengen visa, preventing his travel. Concurrently, hally has been urgently hospitalized.
Both coaches will assist the players online for the time being. Team Spirit expects hally to recover and travel to join the roster during the later stages of the tournament. The roster has experienced a steady uptick in performance recently, leaving them as a prime candidate to challenge Vitality. Playing the initial Stage 2 matches without their defined leadership group physically present will be an immediate test for the active lineup.
