The Swedish organization Ninjas in Pyjamas has appointed a new captain: 22-year-old Gareth “MisteM” Ries. This move is particularly interesting because MisteM only joined the NIP youth roster in early 2024, but has already been recognized for his leadership skills.
MisteM's appointment is eye-catching because NIP is in a difficult period of rebuilding and a new captain could drastically change the dynamics of the squad.
The departure of alex and the rebuilding of the team
Alejandro “alex” Masanet led NIP for ten months, but that period proved to be extremely challenging for the team. One of the most notable failures was the failure at the RMR tournament in Copenhagen, where the team finished in last place. Despite strengthening the roster with young players - Artem “r1nkle” Moroz, Max “maxster” Jansson and Isak “Isak” Fahlen - no progress was made.
MisteM and the return of sprayxd
Gareth “MisteM” Ries, who has been playing for Young Ninjas since early 2024, will now lead the main roster. NIP's press release emphasizes that he not only demonstrated a high individual level, but also leadership qualities that helped the youth team succeed. Also returning to the team is Daniel “sprayxd” Kogan, who will be the assistant coach to Richard “Xizt” Landström, he was previously the coach of the Young Ninjas.
The lineup of Ninjas in Pyjamas is as follows:
🇪🇸 @alexitownzz has parted ways with NIP! pic.twitter.com/aLWeQvtm1t
— bo3.gg (@CS2_bo3gg) September 11, 2024
NIP now has the important task of qualifying for the first CS2 major, and MisteM and sprayxd have just two months to take the team to the next level.
Conclusion
The change of captain and coaching staff is NIP's attempt to restart the team and prepare them for new challenges. MisteM has a chance to prove that his appointment was the right choice and bring Ninjas in Pyjamas back to the top of the Counter-Strike world stage.
Comments