Very soon, Falcons will make their LAN debut with Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev at ESL Challenger Katowice, and before the tournament, team coach Danny "zonic" Sørensen shared his thoughts on his risky move to invite one of the best players in Counter-Strike history to strengthen the roster for the final tournaments of 2024.
“This season has been so terrible for us that we decided to take a chance and try to get Sasha back to his old level,” zonic said in an interview with HLTV. The Falcons coach admitted that this attempt was a kind of “all-in” as no other options were available due to the roster lockout.
“All players on the team realize that changes are on the horizon”
zonic also hinted at upcoming changes to the team in 2025, although he was careful to be specific about the future of s1mple. However, he emphasized that the team is not a young one and some players probably know they will be part of the long-term changes. “We don't have a young team, and I think some players realize that this is just the first step in the new vision of the club,” the coach said.
Returning s1mple to form is the main focus
Despite a difficult year for Kostyliev, zonic is positive about his progress in the new CS2 game. The coach noted that although s1mple may not return to his peak instantly, the player is showing rapid improvement: “He's improving every day, and despite the fact that he hasn't played in official matches for a long time, he's clearly staying true to the game and is ready to fight again.”
The main task is to reach the Major
The main focus for the Falcons now is to qualify for the upcoming Major in Shanghai. Although the coach understands that the team is not ready for great things this season, he does not rule out the possibility of a successful performance if the team can qualify for the main tournament of the year.
Future changes in 2025
Regarding the rumors about the possible arrival of Nikola “NiKo” Kovacs to the Falcons, zonic noted that although the results of the current season are disappointing, the team continues to work for the future. He emphasized that transparency in communication with players helps to avoid surprises and increases motivation in the team.
Source: HLTV
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