It’s interesting because Cloud9 is actually not the worst in VALORANT esports, yet it seems to get the most hate. Despite being 14th out of 48 teams in the 2026 power ranking, Cloud9 is often a topic of discussion due to its inability to qualify for an international event.

This led podcaster Andre Hopkins to interview Head Coach Ian “Immi” Harding about the team’s shortcomings. But he didn’t seem too bothered.

Cloud9 is currently the only team from the Americas to have never qualified for an international event. It has led to fans feeling “pain and embarrassment,” wondering what could help the team improve.

However, Immi said that he’s not really feeling any pressure to qualify. He stated: “I don’t really feel a pressure unless it’s expected. And I still don’t think we’re at that level where we’re expected to make internationals.”

Ya think?

He went on: “We’re striving for it, but we aren’t that team yet.”

Immi acknowledged that Cloud9 is the only team from the Americas that has never made it. But he added that the team has gotten quite close. He also pointed out that he made a power ranking with Jordan “Zellsis” Montemurro quite recently and it seemed like “every team can beat each other.”

Said Immi: “It’s so close in the Americas right now. We just have to take it game by game. And keep fixing what we’ve worked on. Keep improving. And see where it takes us.”

It just seems like Immi feels it’s any day now. The teams are not that far off. From his point of view, it doesn’t seem like Cloud9 is being left in the dust or anything, not when matches and records are so close.

But fans feel differently. Many have expressed frustration with the team’s players, wondering if Cloud9 doesn’t have the budget to sign more veteran players with potential. One fan said: “Would also help if they had a budget for signing actual players instead of just recycling talent.”

Another fan pointed out that there is exceptional talent out there, even on Tier 2 and Tier 3 teams. They responded: ” Immi is either too incompetent to find them, or just wants to play with his friends.”

It seems like a lot of Cloud9 fans believe it’s Immi’s fault and are questioning if he is qualified to coach. He started off as a Counter-Strike: Global Offensive player, including time as an In-Game Leader (IGL). Immi told Hopkins that he it can be challenging watching from the sidelines a lot of times, but he’s found his true strength is helping players ahead of each game, whether it’s with strategy or personal issues.

He admitted, however, that the team suffers from poor communication. He has done a few things to remedy this, like having players try out different roles and compositions during practice to encourage them to talk and see new perspectives. Only time will tell if this works.

I don’t think Immi is the problem. I think it’s money. Most esports organizations, including Cloud9, don’t have any. Due to budget constraints, C9 has been going for budget talent picks for its VALORANT team. This has led to high turnover, constant roster changes, and weak compositions. Even with young star power like Francis “OXY” Hoang, C9 suffers because they can’t build a strong team around him. The constant changes interfere with communication, practice, and consistency. You’re just not going to have a team that works together as well when different players keep rotating.

Is there any hope for Cloud9? I think there always is. The teams in North America aren’t all that far apart, so it’s not impossible. But the way things are going now, I also wouldn’t be surprised if Cloud9 never saw an international stage. Immi didn’t seem concerned enough for me.