30-year-old Swede and former professional Valorant player Tobias “ShadoW” Flodström has been the Head Coach for Metizport’s Valorant squad since February. While the results in VCL varied with Flodström behind the team during the honeymoon period, two months after Stage 2 and with a new fifth player, Czester, ShadoW led his team to victory at Glitched Invitational 2025 in Jönköping. As Stage 3 of VCL is only three days away, starting at July 5th, we sat down for an interview with the Swede, touching on key topics prior to the do-or-die tournament coming up for the European team.
You just came home from a 10-day trip to Sweden, where the team stood victorious in Glitched Invitational 2025. As your first LAN event as a coach, how was it? What is your main takeaway from the event?
The event itself was a blast – just being able to play with the team and gain valuable experience, both individually and as a group. It was also my first time being on LAN as a coach rather than a player, which was a big step for me. Getting to experience what it’s like coaching the team in person was huge for my development. After the event, we went straight into a bootcamp, which was essential. It gave us the chance to reflect on everything we learned during Glitched and focus on improving before heading into Split 3. I wouldn’t say we played badly, but there are always things to take away from each game to work on moving forward. What stood out the most to me was seeing how the boys performed under pressure. There was a lot on the line, and they still managed to play well – that’s the biggest positive I’m taking from this event.
Afterwards you headed to Göteborg to undergo a bootcamp at Alliance’s headquarters – how was the experience there?
Yeah, we went to Alliance, and the place was great – everything we needed was there, and it was a really good environment for us to work together. It was super nice having everything close by, just a short walk from our beds to the office. I’m really happy we got the chance to go there as a team and spend that time together. It was a great experience.
ShadoW behind the team during the Grand Finals of Glitched Invitational 2025. Photo: Emma Andersson
Following a rather disappointing finish last Stage, the team is now starting in the Lower Swiss Phase in Stage 3. How do you think this will affect the team and what are your general thoughts on the upcoming competition?
First of all, we know the team’s level is much higher than what we showed in the last split. Despite that, I truly believe everyone still has faith that we can do something special this split and finally show our full potential. Starting in the lower stage will be good for us – it gives us the chance to play as many official matches as possible. But that doesn’t mean we’re taking any stage less seriously than the next. We’re fully focused on taking things one step at a time, without getting ahead of ourselves. We’ve worked really hard together to get to this point, and for that, I’m super proud of the guys.
You have now been a coach in Valorant for a little over four months since joining Metizport – how do you find it so far? Have you had any specific challenges?
There’s definitely a big difference in the day-to-day experience of being a coach compared to being a player, but I’ve really been enjoying working with this team. I feel super motivated going forward, especially now that I understand what this role feels like on a daily basis. As for challenges, it’s hard to describe exactly, but the biggest shift is in how you have to think about the game – not just for yourself, but in a way that helps the players learn and grow from what you’re saying. It’s about turning that knowledge into action every day and building the right habits through scrims.
The team’s main goal from the forming in January has been to make it to Ascension. With a groove from Jönköping and a new player, Czester, how do you and the team feel about your chances?
After seeing how many teams are competing for Ascension, we know it’s going to be a tough road – but it’s still something we’re fully aiming for as a team. I truly believe that if we can show what we’ve been practicing every day, we can 100% make it to Ascension and even qualify for VCT this year. My personal goal for this team – and what I hope is shared by the rest of the boys – is to play the best Valorant we possibly can. If we do that, the results will come.
