On the eve of Stage 3 at the BLAST.tv Austin Major, we caught up with Team Liquid’s longest-standing player, Keith “NAF” Markovic, for a candid conversation. Amidst the usual buzz of Media Day, the Canadian rifler opened up about the emotional toll of years of instability, team rebuilds, and what it means to still be standing and fighting after all this time.
“It’s getting a bit fatiguing”
For someone who’s been a consistent performer in Liquid’s many eras, NAF’s honesty was both refreshing and sobering.
– “Maybe it’s coming to a point where it is getting a little bit fatiguing and a bit exhausting to kind of keep up,” he admitted. “No matter what, I need to keep my boots on the ground and keep going, and find my way to bounce back.”
He speaks with the tone of a veteran who’s endured not just tournaments and losses, but the revolving door of rosters. Since 2022, Team Liquid has seen over 20 major roster and staff changes, and NAF has been there through it all: from the return of nitr0 to the brief tenure of cadiaN to the acquisition of siuhy just a day before Stage 3.
– “I’ve been playing with so many different players and different IGLs, but I’ve always found my way to perform,” he continued. “But now it’s kind of getting to a point where I am not sure if it is me playing, or if this is a mental thing to a point where it is more exhaustion than anything.”
Liquid’s eternal rebuild
While top-tier CS2 teams like MOUZ or Spirit build continuity with minor roster tweaks, Liquid’s approach has often felt like rebuilding the house from the ground up every season.
– “A lot of teams have had their cores together for a long time, where they have changed one or two players,” NAF said. “Whereas Liquid has made a LOT of changes throughout the years.”
– “With Liquid, it always seems like there is always some version that is starting from scratch each year. And when you start from scratch, it’s pretty tough to get to know more about the players.”
It’s a truth reflected starkly in Liquid’s change log. Since January 2022, the team has
- Cycled through 4 in-game leaders (nitr0, cadiaN, Patsi, siuhy)
- Had 4 different coaches
- And signed or benched nearly a dozen core players
In the last six months alone, Liquid has
- Benched jks and YEKINDAR
- Trialed siuhy, then signed him permanently
- And parted ways with mithR, their most recent coach
Still standing, still fighting
Despite the upheaval, NAF is far from calling it quits. In November 2023, he extended his contract with Team Liquid through mid-2026, doubling down on the organization he’s represented since 2018. His mindset heading into Austin?
– “I am super motivated and I want to keep going and perform and do better,” he said. “And where else to do better than here at the Major.”
To hear more from NAF on Liquid’s identity, motivation, and his own personal battle with fatigue, check out the full video interview below.
