Latvian rifler Mareks “YEKINDAR” Gaļinskis was the main guest of the latest episode of HLTV Confirmed, where he discussed the key moments of his career — from an unsuccessful stint as in-game leader in Liquid to finding a second wind with FURIA. He also shared his thoughts on young AWPer molodoy, the skill of Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo, and commented on the high-profile transfer rumors surrounding tN1R.
Unsuccessful Captaincy in Liquid
YEKINDAR admitted that his time as IGL in Liquid was far from ideal, and the issue lay not in his tactical vision but in his leadership qualities:
Honestly, I was complete ass as a leader. I don’t think I was a bad IGL, and I still want to return to that role in the future, but back then I was a young kid who wanted to win so badly that I couldn’t hold my emotions back. When you have young players like oSee, Patsi, Rainwaker, you need to be a role model, and I wasn’t.
The Latvian stressed that the pressure and desire to achieve quick victories often led to emotional outbursts, which harmed team atmosphere and the development of newcomers.
Revival with FURIA
The move to Brazil and signing with FURIA became a turning point in YEKINDAR’s career. He noted that the new environment, playing style, and roster gave him a chance to regain confidence and stability. Mareks paid special attention to young Kazakh AWPer Danil “molodoy” Golubenko:
He doesn’t come into the team saying, ‘Give me the AWP, I’ll go kill everyone.’ His first priority is to support his teammates and take the right positions to catch the opponent’s reaction. That’s a very rare quality for a young AWPer.
For comparison, he recalled his experience with Roland “ultimate” Tomkowiak in Liquid, pointing out that ultimate always sought to take the initiative, even in situations where the team needed the AWPer to play a supporting role.
FalleN — Still a Master
Another topic of discussion was the form of Brazilian legend Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo. YEKINDAR didn’t hide his admiration:
I always type in chat ‘34-year-old, btw’ when he wins a 1v3 or 1v4. What he does in practice is sometimes even better than in official matches.
According to him, FalleN’s experience and composure remain key factors in FURIA’s success, and his shooting ability is still at a top level.
tN1R in Spirit: A Challenge for a Star
Commenting on the rumors of Andrey “tN1R” Tatarinovich moving from HEROIC to Spirit to replace Myroslav “zont1x” Plakhotia, YEKINDAR acknowledged that the transfer would be a tough test:
He was the star in his team, and now he’s coming to Spirit where sh1ro and donk are already there. It’s not easy — he’ll have to get used to having less space to play.
He explained that while tN1R will likely keep most of his positions, in the team’s priorities key resources and weapons will more often go to donk rather than to him.
The episode with YEKINDAR was packed with candid admissions and analysis. The Latvian openly reflected on his past, shared his experience of revival with FURIA, and offered intriguing insights into upcoming transfers. The conversation served as a reminder that even after the toughest periods, it’s possible to find new motivation and a place in the big game.
