NEO is preparing for his first LAN tournament as Astralis’ coach, and this debut already carries additional context. After almost three years with FaZe, the Polish specialist has found himself in a new environment, where he needs not only to adapt, but also to help the team unlock its potential.
NEO has no grudges after FaZe
NEO’s main quote concerns his departure from FaZe. For him, it was a painful but understandable moment, because in esports the coach is often one of the first figures to be changed when a team is looking for a new impulse.
I can understand this point of view and I do not want to go too deeply into the details, but the team needed changes, and changing the coach is one of the first steps organizations usually take. It is part of the game, no grudges, it is what it is. But I learned my lesson.
This phrase clearly shows his position. NEO is not trying to create conflict with his former team, but he is also not pretending that this experience changed nothing. On the contrary, he says directly that he took important lessons from FaZe, which he now wants to use in Astralis.
A new stage in Astralis
The move to Astralis became only NEO’s second coaching job at the top level, although he has long been part of Counter-Strike as both a player and a coach. According to him, the new environment feels fresh: different people, different personalities, and a different approach to the game.
It was really nice and refreshing to be in a new environment with different personalities, to get to know everyone as people and as players. I like what I see, the team has huge potential, there is definitely a lot of work to do, but it feels good to be back.
For Astralis, this is an important moment. The team already has a formed structure, but still does not look fully stable. That is why NEO’s arrival is not just a replacement in the coaching position, but an attempt to add system, experience, and a new view of the game.
Working with HooXi after karrigan
NEO separately focused on the connection between coach and IGL. In FaZe, he worked with karrigan, and that was his only experience of cooperating with a captain in his coaching career. Now the situation is different: in Astralis, he needs to build mutual understanding with HooXi.
During my coaching career, I worked with only one IGL, and the coach works most closely with the captain. I knew only karrigan’s approach. Now I am working with HooXi, getting to know him, he has a different approach, different ways of solving situations, and I am learning from that too.
This is one of the key details for Astralis’ future. If NEO quickly finds common ground with HooXi, the team may gain a clearer structure. If the adaptation takes longer, inconsistent results may remain a problem for several more tournaments.
The results are not ideal yet
NEO honestly admits that the start with Astralis was not perfect. The team managed to qualify for the LAN stage of BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 2, but also had unsuccessful moments in other matches. The coach himself does not dramatize the situation, but he also does not exaggerate the progress.
The path so far has not been terrible, but it has not been ideal either. There is definitely room for improvement, and the potential is visible. We simply have a lot of work ahead of us.
This is a very restrained but telling assessment. NEO is not selling a quick fairy tale about Astralis instantly turning into a trophy contender. He talks about a process in which the team must gradually become more stable, better understand new ideas, and transfer them from practice into official matches.
Cache as an additional plus for NEO
Interestingly, NEO also commented on the return of Cache. For him, this map is not something new, as he knows it well from previous stages of Counter-Strike. In his opinion, although CS2 has added new details, the basic logic of the map remains very familiar.
There are new approaches thanks to the skybox, but it is quite funny to see strategies from ten years ago being used again. It is nice that Cache is back in the map pool, I always liked this map. It is simple, so it is enjoyable to play.
For Astralis, this may be a small advantage. While some younger players have limited official experience on Cache, NEO can help the team understand positions, timings, and basic scenarios on the map faster.
Lessons that should work in Astralis
NEO’s story now looks like a transition from one major project to another. In FaZe, he gained his first major coaching experience, went through victories, crises, and a difficult ending to that stage. He comes to Astralis no longer as a beginner, but as a specialist who better understands what exactly he wants to change in his work.
His words about the “lesson” after FaZe do not sound like resentment, but like a signal. NEO understands that a difficult process lies ahead, but he also sees enough potential in Astralis for this project to make sense. Now everything depends on how quickly the team accepts his ideas and whether it can take the next step already on the LAN stage.
