Interviewer: Congratulations on the win. Yes, I’m very happy. I think I even wanted your victory in this match a bit more, because I really like your team. I like that you’re not the Falcons, who spend a lot of money on players, but instead look like a team with tactics and a great coach.
sycrone: I think the Falcons also have that, to be honest. But thank you. We definitely built our way here.
Interviewer: But it wasn’t easy, and for a long time MOUZ didn’t look like a team with big budgets, yet you still had the ability to stay among the top. Now you’re at the top of the world rankings. What’s the secret behind this progress?
sycrone: The key to this progress… I think now we’ve also invested seriously into our Counter-Strike 2 team and our staff. It’s not cheap. I think we have one of the best rosters. We also have an expensive facility in Hamburg, and we invest a lot into player contracts. Over time the team grew, and the organization grew. The idea that MOUZ is a small organization is still partly true when compared to the Falcons or Team Liquid, but we’ve grown a lot. If you look at our budget, we’re also among the top in spending. So at this stage we should be among the top teams. But it was a process, and the key was time, effort, investment, quality people, and trust from those who make it possible.
Interviewer: Spinx has been in MOUZ for about a year. What are the main changes he brought to the team? The progress was unreal, especially this year, because for me you were already a top-4 level team for the last 2–3 years.
sycrone: Spinx is a fantastic addition for us. He brings calmness, he’s a very warm person. But what we sometimes lack is the ability to deal with pressure, stay focused, and execute what we practiced with a cool head. That is probably the hardest part in any sport, the mental aspect. Thanks to his experience and character, he’s a bit ahead in that, and we need it. He’s also a great playmaker, and we use him as a second playmaker next to xertioN when needed. Mentality and playmaking are the two key things we rely on him for.
Interviewer: Who is your main rival right now? Maybe Vitality?
sycrone: I’m happy if you call it a rivalry, but often I’m not sure that’s exactly the case. Maybe our biggest rival is ourselves. If we can overcome our own shortcomings, keep working, and believe in progress, which is hard when you’re at the top, then I think we’ll manage.
Interviewer: But tomorrow you’re playing against Vitality. Over the past year, I’ve seen a lot of tweets like “now we will beat them”, but it didn’t work out. What about tomorrow?
sycrone: I think tomorrow will be a great match. In my opinion, Vitality are still the best team in the world. It will be a tough challenge, but I think we’re in a form now where we can show better Counter-Strike. We need to come and show what we’ve been working on, make the series competitive. The matchup has become closer, and I think Vitality will come in thinking “we have to pull away from MOUZ again”. And our task is to show that we’re right there and the fight is even.
Interviewer: What can you say about Tauron Arena?
sycrone: Both events in Poland are incredible. Counter-Strike here, the fans, top level. Last time we were in Katowice and played in the arena, we went straight to the semifinals. It’s always a dream to play here. Today I was so focused on the team and what we wanted to do that it was hard for me to feel the arena’s atmosphere. I’m looking forward to feeling it tomorrow. During the opening ceremony, coaches didn’t walk in the first row, but I still saw the atmosphere inside. It was beautiful and very electric.
Interviewer: How can you explain Xyp9x’s role in the team? He’s a legend and still is.
sycrone: He’s our assistant coach and does a lot for us. Partly practical things: practice slots, scheduling. He also works on player feedback. We run clutch workshops or mid-round workshops, and I trust him to run them. He does analysis and focuses on player development. I can’t be fully focused on all five players at once, so he helps guide them. He’s great with micro-details and gives very accurate feedback.
Interviewer: If some team wanted to buy Xyp9x, would it be a big loss for you? And could he already be a head coach?
sycrone: That’s a question for him. If he wants to do it, I’m open to it. I won’t hold him back. Of course, if he has a contract, there would be a buyout. Right now he has a small child, he’s focused on his family, so maybe now isn’t the best time.
Interviewer: And what about Brollan? He’s only 23 and already an in-game leader. Is he handling it well, or does he need to improve something?
sycrone: Even though he’s 23, he already has at least six years of top-level experience. His mechanical skill, understanding of the game, and tactical knowledge are very high. The biggest steps for him are leadership, managing people, unlocking their potential, keeping them motivated and hungry, shaping the right culture. He’s still young as an in-game leader, only a year in the role, but his progress has impressed me a lot.
Interviewer: Alright, good luck tomorrow. I hope someone finally breaks the Vitality era and we see a new team in the final.
sycrone: I hope so too.
As a reminder, Discord delays mandatory age verification and changes its approach
