xelex: "I don't think I had much confidence in the first few months"
MOUZ are through to the semi-finals of BLAST Bounty Season 2 following a solid showing on map three of their close series against 3DMAX.
The team, which has undergone a lot of roster changes in the last few months, are looking to rebuild their reputation in this season, and a top four in their first event is a great way to start that process.
At the event, we sat down with xelex to discuss his transition from MOUZ NXT to the main team, his struggles in roles, and his confidence now he has spent longer with the team.
“At some points you feel like you're not doing anything and you don't have any impact”
You've been on the main team for a few months now. How have you found the step up?
It's been a really good experience to catch up with the guys, but I don't think I had the most confidence in the first few months on the team. I needed to ask more and share my opinions more; I was just doing my stuff, but now I've had some time to think about it and how I want to approach it. I think this season will be much better.
Why weren't you saying those things? Did you feel inexperienced?
I think it was more just about myself. Maybe I wasn't confident enough in myself, so when I had something in mind, I wouldn't share it for whatever reason. I think it was just getting used to the guys around me, but that got better with time, of course. Now I feel really comfortable with them all; we have great vibes, and I really like it.
What about the set-up outside of the team? Tier one comes with a lot more travel, so how are you adapting to that?
Yeah, the travelling is harder, and you have a lot more of it than we did in NXT. It's fun, though; I like it. Not much has changed really; the environment is the same, but the structure is a little different. People prep for games differently because that's an individual thing.
How does NXT operate differently?
The teammates are different, for sure. I have three guys here who are really experienced, and even PR is, too. It's more to do with that and the time we have together; it's easier to work with players who already know their stuff, and we don't have to talk as much as we did back in NXT.
Do you think the step up to tier one might have been harder if you went to a different org like PR did?
I think this was the best scenario for me, and of course, it was the one I wanted to achieve as well. I wanted to get to the main team and play the best CS I can from there. I don't know what other team I would've joined; I didn't have any ideas. This is the one I hoped for, and now I'm just trying to do my best.
You and torzsi are both from Hungary. Has he taken you under his wing and helped with the step up?
Yeah, it's nice to have someone to talk to in my mother language. I wouldn't exactly say he's taken me under his wing, but he has helped me a lot; I wouldn't have even been in NXT if he didn't scout me.
Your roles are a little different than they were in NXT; what has that change been like?
It's getting better with time, but it was definitely unusual. In NXT, I always had positions where I had a bigger impact on games, and I always knew it was in my hands; if I had a good game, we would probably win.
In our first official against Nuclear TigeRES, it was fine on T side, but on CT they came A once or twice. The first time it was pistol, and I instantly died, and then there was a force. They didn't come any other times, so at some points you feel like you're not doing anything and you don't have any impact. That's just something I have to get used to.
I needed to learn some of the positions, too, but it's going fine now. I've changed from B to Long on Dust2, I hated that position.
It sounds like you're saying we've still not seen the best of you. When will that be?
It's hard to tell, but it's getting better every game. I feel more comfortable in places like A Mirage now, so this half of the year will definitely be better. I'm much more confident and know what I'm doing in my positions now.
What goals do you have for your peak?
I only really have one, and that's to be in the top 20. I'd like to achieve that for myself. It could even be done this year if I have a really good season, but I don't want to put those kinds of expectations on myself.
What about the team's goals? Six months ago, the expectation would've been to win trophies, but since the results have slipped slightly for MOUZ, is the goal to now get into top fours consistently again?
I wouldn't say there are any expectations; we're just trying to find our baseline and play good CS. Of course, you always want to win, but we're still a fresh team, so whatever happens will happen.
Expectations will build up over time depending on how we perform, and after that we'll see what expectations are realistic.
