Alex vs. Cadian:
Secrets of NIP’s revamp revealed in exciting upcoming short-doc
With the release of CS2, the esports grapevine has been buzzing.
In the upcoming release of their short documentary, 'Roster Maniacs,' Ninjas in Pyjamas peel back the layers on their first roster changes in the CS2 transfer window, spotlighting their advanced negotiations with Casper "cadiaN" Møller, among other topics.
At a pivotal moment in their journey, Ninjas in Pyjamas (NIP) found themselves at a crossroads, choosing between the seasoned IGL prowess of cadiaN and the dynamic leadership of alex.
Photo: Stephanie LindgrenTheir story unfolds in 'Roster Maniacs,' premiering February 12 on BLAST channels. NIP offers refreshing transparency and a rare glimpse into the world of Counter-Strike transfer negotiations, granting viewers fly-on-the-wall access to NIP's leadership deliberations.
Seeking Leadership
Coach Daniel "djL" Narancic emphasises the team's need for a fresh direction, signalling it was time for a change.
"We looked for a leader. That was the first thing we looked at. Just get something fresh. It’s nothing bad with Hampus, but I also think it was time for him to move on,” djL reveals.
This pursuit led them to consider both cadiaN and alex, with each candidate bringing a unique set of skills and leadership qualities to the table.
cadiaN or alex?
Björn "THREAT" Pers, now-returned General Manager at NIP, reflecting on the scouting process, noted alex's impressive stint with Movistar Riders, where he consistently exceeded expectations with a limited roster.
“I moved away from NIP for almost a year. During that period of time, I was talking to some teams for head coach positions. I saw that a lot of those teams were having alex on their list as well, making him an even more interesting prospect,” he said.
His revelation about the widespread interest in alex among other teams, and the admiration for alex's tenure at Movistar Riders, “overperforming to the players he’s had, limiting himself to only Spanish players,” highlights the strategic considerations at play.
Photo: Stephanie LindgrenHowever, things unexpectedly heated up in the Heroic camp, and suddenly cadiaN was on the table as a potential IGL.
"We had some very advanced conversations with cadiaN," THREAT discloses in the short-doc and adds that cadiaN was a promising prospect as a tier-one IGL. “Obviously alex understood this,” THREAT says.
Navigating Roster Dynamics
Erik Wendel's insights into the potential roster changes underscored the complexities involved.
“So if you get cadiaN, you bring an AWPer in. Then you also have to remove your current AWPer, headtr1ck, in our case. So that would create another challenge, and we were really happy with headtr1ck and wanted to keep working with him,” Wendel says.
“If you bring alex in, he’s not only a great IGL but also brings that energy which was an important part for us. Both alex and cadiaN are bringing that to the table,” he said.
In the end, the cadiaN option did not pan out.
“In the end, we decided to go with Alex, and we’re super happy about that,” Wendel says.
Watch the revealing short doc “Roster Maniacs,” premiering February 12 on BLAST channels.