Hype
WELCOME OUR NEW IGL, PUTTING THE ~ IN NIÑJA
Welcome to the Dojo, Alejandro ‘alex’ Masanet Canela, our new IGL leader and veteran captain from Alicante, Spain. The 27 year old player puts the ~ in NIÑJAS!
STATEMENT FROM BJÖRN PERS, GENERAL MANAGER
As our beloved Counter-Strike has changed, NIP have to also change. Our processes regarding how we build winning teams need to evolve. Roster changes are part of that process, and by far, the most visible part. I've also said that I want to embrace a higher level of transparency than what Counter-Strike fans have gotten used to. Building this team has very little to do with ratings, highlights, or the in-game performance you see on broadcast.
Since taking over, the two crucial factors we have identified and aim to address are role clashes and leadership. When we announced the addition of 'es3tag' to the roster, I explained how that contributes to solving the role clashes as well as the interpersonal component of leadership. What's left? A proven in-game leader.
I'm thrilled to announce the addition of 'alex' today — he is the perfect fit for the team we are building. We've had our eyes on alex for longer than most of you can imagine. He has done a stellar job in Movistar Riders, impressing us over multiple tournaments with incredibly tight and coherent Counter-Strike against much stronger teams on paper.
We're humans though. What made us finally pull the trigger was chemistry, and our alignment on the vision of how to play this game to perfection. The early days of CS2 are inevitably going to be chaotic, and I firmly believe that a solid foundation and a strong work ethic is the most important part of adapting to a new game. It feels great to have Alejandro along for this ride.
BLAST Premier: Fall Final 2023 will be the debut for our new squad formation with 'alex' playing his first tournament as team captain and 'es3tag' stepping into the role of second in command.
GO NIÑJAS!