“I think G2 were a little bit impatient in how they approach things”. YNk on FaZe success, Boombl4 return, and G2 changesExclusive

Janko “YNk” Paunović provided exclusive insights during IEM Cologne 2022, analyzing the structural elements that propelled FaZe Clan to historic Major victory while discussing NiKo’s leadership capabilities and Boombl4’s career trajectory. Previously released interview segments focused specifically on NiKo and G2 dynamics.

— What do you think about FaZe? It’s kind of phenomenal that they were the first team who ever won the Major with international roster.

— Their championship formula combines several critical components working in perfect synchronization. Each player occupies their ideal position without requiring compromises, enabling everyone to perform exactly how they prefer within their specialized roles. The roster represents optimal career timing across all positions – veterans like Rain and karrigan provide stability, while younger talents including Twistzz and ropz bring fresh energy and evolving skillsets. Broky has reached the experience threshold where his contributions match the lineup’s established stars.

FaZe’s organizational commitment extends beyond player salaries to comprehensive support infrastructure. They employ dedicated analysts who travel with the team, providing real-time strategic adjustments during tournaments. Coach RobbaN deserves significant credit for cultivating exceptional team chemistry – you consistently hear players emphasizing how much they enjoy competing together, how everyone maximizes effort, and this collective dedication enables their remarkable comeback victories in challenging matches where other teams might surrender.

The psychological dimension proves equally crucial – teams must maintain environments where players genuinely enjoy collaborating rather than waiting for teammates to commit errors so they can assign blame seeking eventual roster changes.

— Let’s talk a bit about G2. Do they just need more time or did they became worse overall?

— Multiple factors converged to derail G2’s promising season. They began exceptionally strong with impressive BLAST performances and reached the Katowice grand finals, narrowly losing what many considered one of the most competitive 3-0 series ever witnessed. Then Aleksib contracted COVID-19, missing half the group stage matches. His return couldn’t prevent their playoff elimination.

The subsequent 40-day competitive void proved devastating for a squad riding championship momentum. That extended break substantially diminished team energy and collective atmosphere – you cannot effectively practice for 30 consecutive days regardless of coaching strategies or organizational methods. Official matches provide essential testing grounds for strategic developments and generate additional player motivation that scrims cannot replicate.

Arriving at the Major, they had lost their competitive edge. Additionally, their roster modifications backfired – they were previously a top-3 organization that consistently reached finals but made changes aiming for number one status, not regression. Unfortunately, they moved backward competitively.

Their approach demonstrated significant impatience despite everyone recognizing their “win now” circumstances. They possessed elite talent and theoretically had all necessary components, but competitive success involves more complexity than paper rosters.

Gradually accumulating minor issues combined with mounting pressure without clear justification. Now Aleksib announces G2 permits him exploring alternative opportunities – somewhat premature timing, though understandable if internal relationships deteriorated beyond repair where confidence becomes irrecoverable.

— You’ve worked with NiKo when he was IGLing. Now we have Aleksib benched. Will NiKo be IGL again?

— He possesses the foundational qualities for exceptional in-game leadership – sophisticated game understanding, reliable instincts he trusts instinctively, and natural leadership presence. When he communicates, teammates respect his authority. This proves essential for effective IGL performance – speaking with commanding presence, avoiding self-doubt, not questioning decisions by asking “should we attempt this or that?” The IGL’s responsibility involves directing teammates who may offer suggestions, but ultimately the leader must make final determinations.

However, transitioning him back to that role currently seems premature. During our FaZe tenure, we implemented this from necessity rather than preference. Hopefully they identify alternative solutions for that position because his individual skill level remains too valuable. He demonstrated this clearly after joining G2 and focusing exclusively on gameplay – his statistical performance improved noticeably despite maintaining solid numbers while previously IGLing.

He could develop into an outstanding IGL, potentially among the elite, but perhaps several years later when his individual capabilities naturally decline slightly. Given his work ethic and professional approach, I don’t anticipate that decline occurring soon.

— Is there a lack of IGLs on the scene right now?

— Quality in-game leaders consistently prove challenging to discover. Established household names typically remain locked into organizations because their value exceeds gold weight. G2 previously struggled finding consistent AWPers – they utilized nexa but lacked dedicated sniper specialists. Now they secured AWPer talent but lost their strategic caller. They introduced new leadership that failed establishing longevity.

Thus, the IGL shortage appears real. Effective in-game leadership generally requires substantial experience and proven performance in high-pressure tournament situations, but those players typically remain contracted. When available, it usually indicates performance decline or team relationship issues.

They remain scarce commodities, often requiring organizational risks like MOUZ taking dexter from Australia or Ninjas in Pyjamas gambling on younger talent like hampus to some degree, then developing them systematically. Additionally, contemporary teams should consider IGL-coach partnerships as combined strategic units dictating team gameplay.

— When Boombl4 got kicked you said that NAVI wouldn’t achieve top-1 again.

— I expressed disappointment that the roster change resulted from non-gameplay factors. Essentially, they missed extending their competitive era due to external circumstances beyond gameplay considerations.

The players faced impossible conditions focusing exclusively on competition given external circumstances. Their consistent performance throughout this year, especially recently amidst ongoing challenges, demonstrates remarkable professionalism. NAVI maintained championship-level consistency throughout an entire calendar year – they captured a Major title and virtually every significant LAN tournament that season. Unfortunately, they couldn’t properly defend their championship status entering this year.

— Do you think Boombl4 has any chances to continue his career regarding all the recent events?

— His career prospects appear challenging currently. I’m uncertain how significantly recent events damaged his professional reputation. I haven’t meticulously followed rumors regarding factual accuracy. Certain aspects, as s1mple indicated seemed evident to everyone except himself. However, he retains opportunity.

Critics will inevitably claim B1ad3 deserved all credit, but external observers cannot truly understand internal team dynamics beyond limited interview revelations. If he genuinely desires another opportunity, unless receiving invitation from Outsiders or similar organizations, he must potentially accept leading younger player squads or comparable rosters toward competitive relevance, thereby demonstrating capability without s1mple’s presence or B1ad3’s coaching guidance.

— A lot of clubs from Eastern Europe are moving to Serbia. And I think it’s safe to say that Serbia is becoming a new esports center in Europe. What do you think of this?

— Historically, Serbia occupied unique positioning – somewhat neutral territory not strongly aligned with either geopolitical side. The significant advantage involves non-EU membership, meaning Schengen visa limitations don’t apply. Teams can bootcamp for two weeks without worrying about insufficient visa days for Cologne attendance or other tournaments. This logistical benefit proves substantial.

Recent infrastructure investments include specialized bootcamp facilities with plans for additional development establishing Belgrade and Serbia as potential regional hubs. Additionally, costs remain lower compared to German bootcamps or other Western European nations. This financial consideration matters significantly, particularly for smaller organizations. Liquid maintains Utrecht facilities, FaZe can deploy teams anywhere desired, Cloud9 similarly, etc. However, other squads seek more budget-friendly alternatives.

— Do you think it’s going to be good and healthy for a local scene?

— We should develop programming involving visiting teams, potentially exhibition matches. While the regional competitive landscape evolves organically, perhaps organizing smaller-scale events would benefit everyone.

Organizations gain practice opportunities against highly motivated emerging talent experiencing initial elite competition exposure because practice quality can deteriorate significantly sometimes. Top teams competing against each other often conceal strategic elements. Competitors frequently approach scrims more casually, then encounter unfamiliar situations during official matches never experienced during practice. Such internal tournaments would provide engaging experiences and definite developmental advantages.

Finding elite in-game leaders represents one of the most persistent challenges in competitive Counter-Strike. These strategic masterminds command premium value because their combination of tactical genius, leadership presence, and high-level gameplay proves exceptionally rare. Organizations face difficult choices: either gamble on unproven international talent or invest years developing young prospects. MOUZ demonstrated this approach by importing dexter from Australia’s isolated competitive environment, while Ninjas in Pyjamas took a developmental approach with hampus, gradually shaping his natural leadership into professional-grade calling.

The modern competitive landscape demands IGL-coach partnerships rather than standalone leaders. NAVI’s success with Boombl4 heavily relied on B1ad3’s coaching expertise, creating a complementary strategic brain trust. Similarly, FaZe Clan’s championship formula integrates karrigan’s in-game leadership with RobbaN’s coaching support. This dynamic allows coaches to compensate for IGL weaknesses, whether through alternative gameplay perspectives or reduced tactical burdens.

Contemporary map design further complicates leadership demands. Expansive battlefields like Ancient and Overpass require secondary callers to manage distant engagements. Primary IGLs cannot maintain complete battlefield awareness across multiple fronts simultaneously. This layered command structure makes team building substantially more complex than simply assembling skilled aimers. The most coveted roster positions remain skilled AWPers who can dominate sightlines and innovative IGLs who can outthink opponents.

— When Boombl4 got kicked you said that NAVI wouldn’t achieve top-1 again.

— The timing and circumstances surrounding Boombl4’s departure created an unfortunate competitive setback. NAVI’s roster change stemmed from external factors rather than in-game performance issues, which undermined their championship continuity. The team deserved opportunity to defend their hard-earned era, but real-world complications disrupted their competitive trajectory. External pressures made pure gameplay focus impossible despite their impressive resilience throughout the season.

NAVI’s previous campaign demonstrated textbook championship form: consistent tournament performances, Major victory, and near-complete LAN dominance. Their inability to properly defend that legacy entering the following competitive year represents a significant loss for the organization and fans alike.

— Do you think Boombl4 has any chances to continue his career regarding all the recent events?

— Boombl4 faces an uphill battle for professional redemption. The extent of reputation damage remains unclear amid conflicting rumors and limited verified information. As s1mple noted, certain issues seemed apparent to observers that escaped Boombl4’s awareness.

Public perception often attributes NAVI’s success primarily to B1ad3’s coaching, though external perspectives lack internal team dynamics understanding.

Realistic comeback scenarios involve either established organization invitations like Outsiders or building new projects with developing talent. The latter path would require demonstrating leadership capabilities independent of superstar teammates and elite coaching support. Proving his IGL value without s1mple’s carry potential or B1ad3’s strategic guidance represents his most viable path forward.

— A lot of clubs from Eastern Europe are moving to Serbia. And I think it’s safe to say that Serbia is becoming a new esports center in Europe. What do you think of this?

— Serbia’s geopolitical positioning creates unique advantages for international esports organizations. Operating outside European Union jurisdiction eliminates Schengen visa complications, allowing extended bootcamp stays without consuming tournament travel days. This logistical freedom proves particularly valuable for teams preparing for back-to-back international events.

Strategic infrastructure investments are transforming Belgrade into legitimate esports hubs. New training facilities and planned developments position Serbia as cost-effective alternatives to Western European bootcamp locations. Organizations like Liquid maintain premium facilities in Utrecht, while FaZe and Cloud9 enjoy flexible travel budgets. However, developing organizations benefit significantly from Serbia’s reduced operational costs compared to German or French training bases.

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