Ninjas in Pyjamas coach Richard “Xizt” Landström has opened up about the team’s rise in an interview with HLTV. He spoke right after NIP won Stake Pulse Beat III in Stockholm. It was their third trophy in three weeks, and HLTV’s invite simulator now gives them a 97.0% chance of reaching the Singapore Major.
This interview is interesting because NIP’s situation looked very different only a few months ago. In addition, Xizt talks about the new players, the team’s map pool and a very hard travel schedule. Therefore, his words show how NIP turned a rough period into a winning run.
From a Rough Patch to Three Titles
NIP missed Cologne, and the results before that were poor. The team struggled in some online qualifiers and at the Logitech LAN in Poland. However, the mood changed once the players began to click outside the server. As a result, the good form soon followed in the games. Xizt remembers how bad things looked at that point.
A couple months ago, it looked very unlikely, right? We royally screwed up with some online qualifiers and also the Logitech LAN in Poland. We barely won any games, and we got really punished. But then we just grinded, and we really clicked outside of the server as well. And after that, it just clicked in-game as well.
The turnaround began in Belgrade, where NIP won their first title of the run. They then lifted the trophy in Sjavda and finished the streak in Stockholm. In between, the team played Thunderpick, where top-five teams beat them. However, Xizt does not see that event as a failure. In his view, a little more practice together could help NIP win those games against sides like Falcons or Aurora. Overall, he is proud of how strong the players have been mentally during the past month or two.
The Final Against MIBR and the Cache Question
In the Stake Pulse Beat III final, NIP beat MIBR 2-1. They won Mirage decisively and lost Cache in overtime. Then they closed out the series on Ancient. The Cache loss stood out because the map has been one of NIP’s most picked since it returned to the map pool.
Xizt says the team has played Cache well since Adam “adamb” Ångström joined, mostly thanks to a solid T side. However, the CT side still needs work. He also admits that NIP choked a little in the final. At the same time, he gives credit to MIBR for winning key duels and trading well when entering the sites.
Krimbo’s Start as In-Game Leader
Karim “Krimbo” Moussa is new to both NIP and the in-game leader role. Nevertheless, Xizt is happy with what he has seen over these three tournaments. Krimbo was a secondary leader at BIG and the in-game leader at BIG Academy. Therefore, the role is not completely new to him.
According to Xizt, the team noticed his leadership qualities in their first meeting with him. In addition, the coach says Krimbo is very straightforward and does not hide what he thinks.
I think from day one, he’s been a really good leader for us. I think it’s also something that we noticed in our first meeting with him when we tried to get him to the team, that he doesn’t hide what he’s thinking.
A Hectic Schedule Before Buenos Aires
The players have also handled a heavy travel schedule. After the group stage in Stockholm, NIP flew to Malta early the next morning and played two games there. They went to the airport right after the Aurora match and reached the hotel at 02:00. Finally, they played Liquid at 10:00. Xizt calls it a really tough day, yet he stresses that the players did not complain and just wanted to play CS.
All this work has brought NIP close to a place at the PGL Major in Singapore. Xizt also talks about what that would mean for the team after the Cologne miss.
Making the Major after losing out in Cologne, it’s huge for us, or we’re very close to making the Major. Everyone has just put in so much work and, yeah, it’s been tough, not going to lie, but super proud of everyone, honestly.
What the Interview Means for NIP
NIP now have a few days off before they travel to Buenos Aires for the Fire Last Chance tournament. For a team that missed Cologne, a place at the PGL Major in Singapore would be a big step forward. With a 97.0% qualification chance, according to HLTV’s invite simulator, the Major spot looks very close. In addition, the interview shows that the new additions, adamb and Krimbo, are a big part of the team’s recent success.
