Following Falcons' qualification for the ESL Pro League Season 24 playoffs, we spoke with TeSeS. The Danish player shared insights into adapting to a superteam after joining Falcons, working alongside NiKo and m0NESY, and compared the leadership styles of karrigan and kyxsan.
We also discussed Anubis, where Falcons' long LAN winning streak came to an end, as well as NAVI and the challenges facing the Ukrainian squad.
Full interview with TeSeS is now live on YouTube!
Hello TeSeS, congrats on making it to the playoffs in the Spodek. First of all, I want to ask you: you joined Falcons in January 2025, which meant you stepping into this super team next to players like NiKo and m0NESY. How did you find your place without becoming this "system guy" who just fills space?
Yeah, well, it's been tough. It's been a lot of adapting and kind of learning new things and how to do things, and a lot of role and position changes for myself. But yeah, I've always been a team player and a guy that's been able to adapt. So yeah, that's kind of been my main focus. And right now I'm seeing some good stuff that I'm satisfied with, so I just need to keep going.
After playing with karrigan for some time now, how would you compare his IGLing style to kyxsan's? Was kyxsan more systematic, and karrigan is giving more freedom to players?
It's a bit of a mix, but yeah, for sure there's a big difference. karrigan has these structured rounds and also this system behind certain rounds. And kyxsan, for example, is very structured, but also leaves some freedom in certain rounds, but a lot less than karrigan, for example. But if you have to put it into boxes, yes, karrigan is more free-flowing and freedom, but also has the opportunity to do structured, and kyxsan maybe is lacking a little bit of the less structured rounds where you find the solution mid-round.
Everyone knows you are an incredibly strong individual player capable of single-handedly turning around hopeless situations. Wouldn't you like to seek the spotlight or play a "star" role instead of doing that crucial, unsung work — the kind that often goes unnoticed by the average viewer.
Yes and no. I think mostly no, because with the players I'm surrounded by, I have no need or want to try and outshine any of them. And for this team to work, there's not space for another guy that only cares about, not that they only care about themselves, but another guy that takes a lot of space and kind of ruins the team play a bit. So yeah, I'm very happy where I am and I'm happy to do the unsung work for this team.
Who on Falcons do you learn the most from in review, and who do you argue with the most in the server, if you argue?
Yeah, I don't really think I argue with anyone. But it's more about discussing how to get on the same page or how to improve. So yeah, I've talked a lot with NiKo about certain positions on the CT sides, and he always has a good few tips on how he wants to play the map. And so from him I've learned a lot. But also our coach, zonic, has provided a lot of detail on how he sees the game and how we should play better as a team.
Actually, after losing Anubis to NAVI in your last game in double OT, you have lost your 10-map win streak on LAN on this map, on Anubis. Did it affect you in any way, or you don't care about it at all?
Yeah, I don't really think we even realized that we lost a win streak. Because we lost the online game against 100 Thieves, and the streak for us ended there at least. But yeah, Anubis is a good map for us and of course a bit annoying to lose it to NAVI since we feel really comfortable on it.
And one more question about NAVI. At the Cologne Major it was actually the same result, you know. You beat NAVI, you went 3-1 to the playoffs, and after NAVI lost 2-3 and just got eliminated. What do you think about this team, NAVI, overall?
It's very hard to say. I really like B1ad3 as a coach, but the team just seems a little bit dysfunctional with how the mood is, how the environment is. I think all of them can be really good players and be on a top team, but for different teams. They just seem like it has become something worse, because they were actually really good at some point.
They don't have confidence. We have a like meme in the Ukrainian community that NAVI always needs confidence, confidence, confidence, and they actually need it.
Yeah, so I think it's a lot about the environment.
And that's it. Thank you, TeSeS.
Thank you. Thank you very much.
Having advanced to the ESL Pro League Season 24 playoffs, Falcons continue their title run on the Spodek stage. TeSeS remains a crucial asset to the team, putting in a substantial amount of work behind the scenes that keeps the superteam operating as a cohesive unit.
Additionally, the Dane shared his assessment of NAVI, pointing out the team's issues with team spirit and confidence despite the high individual skill level of its players.
As a reminder: "We are ready for this" — Spinx on young players, xertioN, the new sticker system, and the ESL Pro League playoffs.
