(Photo: ESL)

By Taras Bortnik

Special to VPEsports

Following FaZe Clan’s elimination from the IEM Katowice CS :GO Major , Dauren “AdreN” Kystaubayev talked with VPEsports .

The international squad came in with a new player in AdreN and coach with Janko “YNk” Paunović but still set a high bar for themselves. It wouldn’t be enough for a trophy this time, however, as they were eliminated 2-0 by Natus Vincere in the quarterfinals.

The latest addition to FaZe Clan talked about the teams performance, expectations, his place on the roster, coaching, and more.

VPEsports: This new FaZe roster has only played together for 2 months, but fans still expected a better result. Do you agree?



AdreN: Mixed feelings. I was upset, of course, that we could not go further, but I also understand that the result for a team with two-week preparation is normal. We can play much better than we played at this Major, I know that. If I did not feel the potential of our team, then maybe I would not be so upset. But in reality, we did not show that maximum and that game that we are capable of.

VPEsports: Each team deals with defeats in different ways, how does FaZe Clan deal with it?



AdreN: Nothing special. Just gathered after the match, as most do, and talked. It was not such that someone closed the door in room , or something like that. Everyone knows how to lose – but no one likes to. We know what we have to work on, and my fate in FaZe will be decided literally in the next few days.





VPEsports: Do you already feel like a full-fledged player of the team? Do you feel comfortable with your positions on the map, and outside of the game with the players?



AdreN: I think, it is better to ask the guys. I can not be objective. But from myself I would add that, while playing FaZe, I have the impression that I have been playing with these players for a very long time. When I first joined the team, I thought that I wouldn’t get used to the guys in English for a very long time, so at the very beginning I was a little afraid. But then I realized that they were adequate, funny, without any problems and I felt at ease.



The discomfort was caused by the fact that I had to play in new positions, as well as the fact that we trained on all the maps and gained many tactics. At first it was difficult to think in English. It happened that right during the action on the map I had to give information, and had to translate it during actions. I spent a lot of time and concentration to fix it.





VPEsports: But as far as I understand, it was easier for you with this, because Ladislav Kovach also speaks Russian. I’m right?



AdreN: Yes. I speak Russian with Ladislav, which saves me from discomfort. The hardest thing was just to think, but I’m used to it now.





VPEsports: CIS and Europe are commonly divided because of the difference in the mentality of the players. Did you feel this difference?



AdreN: We have a team that includes representatives from six different countries, including the coach. Therefore, it is difficult to answer specifically. The CIS players do not differ in terms of mentality, be it Russia or Kazakhstan. In FaZe, everything is different – everyone brings something different to the team, but at the same time does not push it out. All on the same wavelength. There is no laxity – there is professionalism and a great faith in victory. All FaZe Clan players are morally strong and stable.





VPEsports: What went wrong for you yesterday in the match against Natus Vincere?



AdreN: I think we played well on Inferno. How did we let Na’Vi get back into the game? This question I asked myself for whole day. It seems that everything was fine with us, we had an advantage, and then we just started giving rounds. At the same time there was no feeling that we were greatly overplayed, we still played well.





After losing on the first map, our confidence was a little shaken, but we tried not to think about it. I felt that we were already playing a little bit different Counter-Strike. Perhaps the reason for this was the pressure in the game from Na’Vi.





VPEsports : Usually former teammates understand each other well. In particular, WorldEdit talked about it on the Minor after defeating Gambit, coached by B1ad3. Is there a similar understanding between you and Zeus?



AdreN: No. This is not exactly the same case. The fact is that Zeus builds a game in a completely different way than captains like B1ad3. When you playing with Andrei Gorodensky, everything must be done according to plan, and therefore his tactics can be foreseen. Zeus is the captain of the mood. I remember that even if we occasionally repeated some of our actions in game, each time it was different and there was never a certain sequence. All acted somewhat chaotically, from their personal skill, on which the tactics in the round were based. This is almost impossible to predict. I still can’t understand how Zeus thinks and implements strategies.





VPEsports: Over the past six months, you have worked with two coaches: YNk and B1ad3. What are the differences of their coaching approaches? As far as I understand, both rely heavily on analytics.



AdreN: Yes, they both strongly focus on analytics, and the development of strategies. But B1ad3 tactics often lack freedom of action – everything must be done according to the instructions. YNk- has a tactic, an idea for a round, but performing it into the game is completely up to player. He does not say exactly how to play.





VPEsports: What do you think about NiKo in the role of IGL?



AdreN: I like the way he thinks and how he controls the players. The only thing that sometimes I worry about is that due to these responsibilities he has to think a lot about what is happening in the game, but not focus on his personal performance. A player like NiKo is very important during the game, because his contribution to the victory is very difficult to overestimate.





VPEsports: Let’s talk about the Kazakh team at this Major – AVANGAR, who stopped a step away from the playoffs. Your team lost to them in the group stage. What do you think about this team?



AdreN: I really like the way they play! At this Major, it was clearly visible that the guys lacked experience. They were not ready to win, but individually they are very strong players, they have good chemistry in the squad and have the potential to develop further. If they do not stop, then this team has a great future.



From what I saw, first of all you need to work on the mental component of the game. This is the most important thing in Counter-Strike.





VPEsports: In Poland you became the Major champion. What mood did you fly to Katowice with?



AdreN: Honestly, it was such a mood, as if we were going to win everything. We also flew through Krakow, so I seemed to have deja vu. I remember thinking then: “Poland. Major. We must win.” Great mood, but the loss makes it melt. That’s life.



In general, I have a special relationship to Katowice. I have never won in this city!



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