Edward: "I had been anticipating this moment for some time, maybe a year"

Ioann "⁠Edward⁠" Sukhariev has admitted that he was not surprised that Natus Vincere decided to oust him from their line-up.

The Ukrainian veteran was on Wednesday removed from Na`Vi's starting line-up and shipped out on loan to Winstrike as they look to right the ship after a run of bad results.

In a VLOG released on his YouTube channel, Na`Vi captain Danylo "⁠Zeus⁠" Teslenko explained how the team broke the news to Edward, with each player voicing their opinion as to why he should be let go.

And the 31-year-old has now confessed that he had seen it coming for quite some time, adding that there was a sense of relief after finally closing a chapter with the team that he had called his home for almost a decade.

"To be entirely honest, I had been anticipating this moment for some time now, maybe for around a year," he told cybersport.ru.

"As such, what happened was not a surprise, but I was still nervous. For a long period of time, this was an internal dread, but at the same time I was happy that it finally happened – things had moved on, I left a state of stagnation.

"Emotions were obviously present during the conversation; there could be no other way. I had grown used to NaVi, so it was difficult for me to leave."

As HLTV.org revealed, Edward will be calling the shots in Winstrike, which will force him to see the game in a completely different way. That in itself is an enormous challenge, but the Ukrainian player is relishing his new role, also because of the positive atmosphere in the squad.

"I am still in the process of familiarising myself with some elements of the role, but at the same time I really enjoy it, I’m genuinely comfortable with it," he says.

"In Na’Vi I fulfilled a completely different role. As a captain, you need to really get into the depths of the game and have to be more active – some of the things I didn’t have enough of in Na’Vi. This inspires me.

"The whole situation that transpired forces me to grow, progress in my understanding of the game and change my style. It’s difficult but very enjoyable.

"The team is working very intensely, we’re on our second day of bootcamping. We train a lot, discuss and work – from morning to evening. Gradually we’re developing common ground and getting used to each other.

"The guys have played together before, and occasionally use inside terminology that only they understand. Having said that, I’m gradually integrating – the process is live, and is rather swift. The atmosphere is good, workable."

Winstrike are slated to play in the closed qualifier for the CIS Minor, running from June 8-10, with 16 teams set to duke it out for eight spots at the $50,000 event in Berlin.