This is an opinion piece, so let’s set the ground rules right away. Zonic is a Counter-Strike legend. No one is questioning that. But a legend is still judged on what he produces today, not only on what he achieved yesterday. And at Team Falcons, the conclusion is simple. Two years of project, two years of failure. Is it time to stop?
It’s a question that has become harder and harder to avoid over time. After two years, the direction of the project still does not seem very clear. The real debate is whether his model can still work outside of a very specific context. Because that’s where everything starts. Not whether zonic is a great coach. He is. The real question is whether what he offers today still fits what Falcons are trying to build, and how long he can be given without delivering the expected results.
Astralis, Vitality, and the weight of reputation
The legend of zonic is inseparable from Astralis. An era that redefined Counter-Strike and left a massive legacy. Astralis was an almost perfect and unexpected alignment. A structure ahead of its time, a complete staff, extreme discipline, and above all, exceptional players.
read more
device was not a detail in the equation, he was a pillar. Just like gla1ve became the leader the team needed, dupreeh and Xyp9x were indispensable in their roles, and Magisk gradually spread his wings to become the perfect player. But the end showed that everything was not as ideal as it seemed, both within the roster and the organization.
The same applies to Vitality. The Major, the dominance, the confirmation of status. But once again, it is impossible to ignore ZywOo. A generational player who buys time for any project, who sometimes masks weaknesses, who turns a good team into a great one. And the difficult beginnings should not be forgotten either. The project looked shaky for a long time, and it took apEX taking control for Vitality to finally reach its ultimate goal.
So the question is simple. Did zonic mainly shine in ideal contexts, carried by extraordinary talent? Yes, but that would still be very reductive, as the players involved have repeatedly explained the importance of the Danish coach behind them.
Year 1: The keys and the failures
Leaving Vitality for Falcons was not a logical move from a competitive standpoint. Vitality was close to being the best team in the world, everything was running smoothly after the Paris Major and the arrival of flameZ. But just like his departure from Astralis, the opportunity to leave with trusted soldiers like Magisk, Lars Robl, then dupreeh, combined with the ambition of a project backed by unmatched financial power, was tempting. Zonic was seen as the best coach in the world, so it made sense that he would be the one to build the biggest roster ever.
read more
Except the beginning was extremely difficult. Falcons had money, but no prestige, no trophies, which made it hard to attract big names straight away. NiKo said no, so Falcons turned to ENCE, a logical and interesting idea. Take a team that already works and give it more resources. But is that really building a project, or just moving an existing collective?
The result raises doubts. ENCE disappears, Falcons take its place, the identity fades, and the level does not improve, it actually regresses. Was this the right starting point, or a poorly managed shortcut? The ENCE core, solidly top 5 in the world at the end of 2023, ends up failing at the RMR against AMKAL, no Major. First stain.
The arrival of dupreeh to replace BOROS lacks ambition and ideas, and the same goes for s1mple later in the year. This time, SAW and GamerLegion eliminate Falcons at the RMR. Shortly after, all the players who came from ENCE a year earlier are benched, dupreeh as well, s1mple is not extended. A total failure. No notable results, one year wasted, and millions burned. At that point, the question around zonic can start to be asked, but he deserves a second chance. We are talking about a legend, after all.
Year 2: Heroic, a copy-paste that raises questions
The following year, Falcons repeats the same pattern with Heroic, fueled by millions. A well-established core, competitive, respected internationally, VRS points. On paper, once again a solid foundation, but already repetitive. As NiKo’s arrival becomes clearer and m0NESY is rumored, though G2 holds firm, TeSeS, kyxsan, and degster join knowing that sooner or later, they too could be on the chopping block.
read more
But once integrated, the same feeling appears. A team that seems to lose what made it strong. Less certainty, less clarity. Can this still be called a transition, or should the imposed framework start to be questioned? Especially since this time, NiKo did make the move. He accepted the project and the money that came with it, an understandable choice given how short careers are and the idea of joining what is supposed to be the team of the future.
The project looks more attractive, but results still do not truly follow, except in smaller events like PGL, where they reach the final in February and win in April. The project seems more coherent, but NiKo’s frustration becomes visible, Magisk sinks on the scoreboard, and Falcons is still not a serious contender.
m0NESY and kyousuke: money catches up with doubts
The spending continues. This time m0NESY joins the project after the victory in Bucharest. Falcons finally look launched and start to improve. Their next appearances are impressive. A final at IEM Melbourne, which they honestly should have won without the choke on Nuke. A final at BLAST Rivals, which they also could have won. A very close semi-final at IEM Dallas. Each time, they fall to a historic Vitality roster. The assessment is very positive. The honeymoon phase is perfect.
read more
They are supposed to dethrone Vitality. The Major is coming. The story seems written. Result: losses to B8, Lynn Vision, and MIBR. Unreal. They do not even make it past Stage 2. Falcons get read, Falcons collapse mentally. The question comes back again. How can zonic survive such a failure? Good question. But in the meantime, he gets a new toy. kyousuke, the new donk, Spirit’s latest prodigy. Another star. At least a million more, another massive investment. It’s now or never for the Danish coach.
Cologne? Failure. The Falcons meant to dethrone Vitality feels far away. But it has to be said, Falcons is improving. The end of the year is good. No titles, but no disasters either. Often placed, never winning. Top 3 at EWC, FISSURE, IEM Chengdu, top 2 at EPL Season 22 and BLAST Rivals. Falcons is undeniably a top 5 team in the world.
But another shadow appears. The Major is difficult. A quarter-final loss to Spirit after a rough Stage 3. Still no Tier 1 title, despite the stars, the high-pressure matches, the millions. kyousuke is clearly not donk. NiKo is still not dominant when he is expected to be. But m0NESY finally looks comfortable. In football, zonic would have been under serious discussion for a long time already, and probably fired, especially when the playstyle itself does not follow despite stars in every position.
read more
Two years later, the identity question
After two seasons, one question becomes unavoidable. Is it normal that a project of this caliber still has no recognizable style? No clear signature. No readable vision? Is it possible that zonic’s model, as brilliant as it has been elsewhere, is simply not adapted to this specific context? Does modern CS demand more adaptation, more constant self-questioning? These are not accusations. They are legitimate questions.
Falcons invested massively. Ambitious signings, rare resources, high promises. And yet, doubt remains. Why does this team still not project anything strong? Why, after so many changes, is no one able to clearly describe what Falcons is on a server? Are they structured, aggressive, tactical? It’s hard to say.
The tactical aspect is too weak to be ignored. Falcons is behind in this area, and the constant changes obviously do not help. To quote anonymously an analyst from a team that faced Falcons this year:
Falcons, we know how they play, we know what they are going to do. Tactically it’s extremely predictable, but they click hard
When so much money is invested without a clear identity and while being predictable, the question inevitably goes beyond the players. Especially when some shine after previously being far from their level, while others fade after having carried the team. With that much talent, Falcons should win, at least from time to time.
read more
Now or never
The real problem is not whether zonic is a bad coach. The answer is obviously no. The real question is whether Falcons still has something to gain by continuing like this. Two years, millions invested, stars stacked, 12 players signed, a project restarted three times, and still that strange feeling of a team that looks strong on paper but is never dominant when it really matters. A team that cracks at the last moment, that brings nothing new tactically.
Comparing Falcons to Vitality would almost be insulting to the French organization. But comparing them to Spirit or even FURIA still feels like too much for Falcons today.
The end of the year brings hope. Consistency gives the feeling that something is being built. But in a project this ambitious, time is not an infinite resource. At some point, you have to choose between waiting for a hypothetical breakthrough or accepting that the ceiling with this staff may already have been reached. Continuing means betting that this version of Falcons will eventually win. And that is possible. Changing means admitting that the project might need a different perspective, a different voice, a different breath. And that is just as possible.
Removing zonic would not be rewriting history, nor erasing Astralis, nor minimizing Vitality. It would simply be admitting that this specific cycle may be coming to an end. In sports, and even more in esports, the biggest names are not untouchable. They are judged like everyone else. On momentum, on results, on the game itself.
read more
So yes, the question deserves to be asked. Not out of disrespect. Not as a knee-jerk reaction. But because after more than two years, it has become too obvious to ignore. And it should probably be answered within the next six months. Zonic certainly knows it too. It’s now or never.
