NAVI chloric on team's struggles: “We’re in the right positions, but we couldn’t get the kills”

Caide "chloric" Heaton spoke with THESPIKE after their VCT 2026 - EMEA Stage 2 loss against Joblife to discuss the team's performance, being the in-game leader, and the cultural differences between North America and Europe.

The loss against Joblife

THESPIKE: What are your thoughts on this series against Joblife? Were you expecting this level of aggression and determination from Joblife?

chloric: "Honestly, we didn't think of it as different than any other game. We took it as serious as any other game. There was nothing really different. We came out, thought they were the same team that would play against in a Tier 1, and did the same preparation."

THESPIKE: What was going through your mind during that 1v1 against Bartosz "UNFAKE" Bernacki when he suddenly stopped shooting while you were defusing?

chloric: "I'm so glad I didn't get off the bomb. That's the main thing. I did not know he could be out of bullets, so I just stuck the bomb right in his face and got lucky."

THESPIKE: In your opinion, what do you think went wrong that prevented you from closing out the maps?

chloric: "Sometimes, I think it came down to aim fights. We were letting them stomp all over us and they were just winning the duels. We were in good positions, but we were just whiffing and missing our shots. What happens, happens."

THESPIKE: So, it was more about the micro than the macro play?

chloric: "Yes, I feel like our macro is pretty good, honestly. We're in the right positions, at the right time, but we just couldn't get the kills."

THESPIKE: What are your thoughts on having Challenger teams competing for a spot in the Champions through this format, as someone who was also in that spot of playing in Tier 2 for so long?

I think it’s a really good thing, especially going into next year with the circuit becoming open. You’re already seeing that the level of Tier 2 is good enough to compete with a lot of Tier 1 players. Next year, situations like what happened to us today could happen much more often.

The major differences between North America and Europe

THESPIKE: You came from NA Collegiate and NRG Academy straight into NAVI's starting lineup. What has been the biggest culture shift, both in lifestyle and in how European teams approach the game compared to NA Challengers?

chloric: "In North America, you had a lot more support because everyone speaks native English, so there was a lot more communication and micro-comms. I feel like things in EU have gotten a lot better recently, but when I first came over, the biggest thing I noticed was that, as a native English speaker, I had to do a lot of the calling and communication for the team. I did my best to handle it, but I think that was the biggest issue, just not having as many native English speakers meant I had to talk a lot more than I normally would."

THESPIKE: What do you think about the food in Berlin?

chloric: "I think the food here is okay. Obviously, the American food has a lot of options that I miss."

What it takes to be an in-game leader

THESPIKE: What’s been the hardest part of being NAVI’s in-game leader? Is there anything you still haven’t quite figured out or that you’d like to improve?

chloric: "I think the main thing has been how many roster changes we’ve had. I’ve been rotating through different rosters ever since I joined NAVI. We’ve finally had a full five and have been able to really work on things together. There are still some struggles within the roster that we’ve been trying to fix."

THESPIKE: Looking at your recent games, is there a recurring round type that you feel NAVI are giving away too often?

chloric: "I think right now we're just losing too many main advantages. That's the main thing."

THESPIKE: Your Stage 2 numbers haven’t necessarily reflected the level you showed before joining NAVI. How much do you personally care about your rating and ACS, given that you’re also carrying the IGL burden?

chloric: "I don't care about rating at all. I do what's best for my team, even if it means jumping and dying for my team. I do my best to be a team player in every aspect."

NAVI roster and team synergy

THESPIKE: What do you think is the biggest strength of this NAVI roster?

chloric: "Our biggest strength is when we actually play like a group, in perfect unison. When we are not playing one by one, but playing together and moving around the map together, we are our best versions."

THESPIKE: How would you describe your teammates one by one, in a few words?

chloric: "Emirhan "hiro" Kat and Uğur "Ruxic" Güç are silent but deadly. They don't talk much, but they shoot very well. Abdullah "ExiT" Al-Twaijri is the hype man and a very funny guy. I think Clement "CyvOph" Millard is a little bit shy, but a great Phoenix player."

THESPIKE: Playing under ANGE1 guidance means receiving feedback from one of the most experienced players in the world. What is the most important lesson he’s shared with you?

ANGE1 has helped me become more confident in myself. He also points out my mistakes, but right now, he has a lot of faith in me and has been trusting me. He gives me a lot of good feedback, and he said that I’ve been doing everything right and putting us in good positions. We just haven’t been able to close things out.

THESPIKE: Except for Haven, you don’t rely too heavily on the Phoenix–Neon composition, instead bringing Yoru and Waylay more often into your compositions. What’s behind that decision, and how have you adapted to the current meta, especially with initiators playing such an important role in creating opportunities?

chloric: "Right now, it’s a double-duelist meta, so we’re trying to figure out which duelists fit us best. We’ve been rotating through different duelists and testing what works and what doesn’t, and that’s how we’ve been adapting to the meta. Today, we played Phoenix and Neon across all three maps, I believe. We’re still trying to figure out what suits us best, but at the same time, everyone has certain roles they want to play, so we’re trying to find a setup that works for the team while keeping everyone happy."

THESPIKE: What message would you like to leave to the fans?

Thank you guys so much for the support. I’m sorry this season has been rough, but I really appreciate you sticking with us. We’re going to do everything we can to turn it around and hopefully start our miracle run in the very next game.

NAVI still have a chance to continue their VCT EMEA Stage 2 run, although their next opponent has yet to be determined. Their next match is scheduled for August 12.

For all things VCT-related, make sure to stay tuned to THESPIKE.GG as we continue to update you with the freshest game and esports news.

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