The biggest question surrounding MOUZ heading into 2025 was whether the organization could retain their star rifler, Jimi “Jimpphat” Salo. For a moment, it seemed the 18-year-old Finn was slipping from their grasp, with reports linking him to Falcons.
However, in a surprising twist, MOUZ announced that Jimpphat had signed a contract extension, putting an end to the speculation.
“We’re not just a stepping stone”
According to head coach Dennis “sycrone” Nielsen, this move will help change the perception and narrative around MOUZ being just a stepping stone for emerging talents.
In an interview with BLAST, the MOUZ mastermind reflects on the uncertainty surrounding Jimpphat’s future at the end of last and emphasises the significance of his re-signing.
– It wasn’t guaranteed it was going to happen during the Major, it was still something that was going on in the background. But now and going into our bootcamp, it’s a huge boost. Everyone on the team and in the organization enjoys working with Jimpphat. I think that it also changes the narrative a little bit, in that every time there are other teams poaching talent, MOUZ is the first to sell. This is also a sign that we can keep the talent we have.
The Danish coach elaborates
sycrone offered further insight into the importance of this shift in perception during a follow-up question from BLAST.
When asked about the significance of changing the stepping-stone narrative and MOUZ being a place where players can have the prime of their careers, sycrone shared:
– Internally it’s something we talk about. MOUZ are investing more than they have previously, they just built the new facilities in Hamburg which are top-of-the-line. Also, being able to keep someone like Jimpphat on a competitive contract is a big tell.
– I know that we also want to compete against the other top teams and be part of that mix, but it will come in time. It’s not just about changing the narrative, it’s about doing it and deserving the spot.
It will come, but if you’re asking whether it’s important, I think it can be a good thing in terms of the perception other teams have of us, sycrone said to BLAST.
Despite MOUZ going into the new season with the great news of keeping Jimpphat, the young squad has started 2025 in a disappointing matter.
Yesterday sycrone’s youngsters got eliminated from BLAST Bounty Season 1 after losing their first match of the year. Their next event will be IEM Katowice, starting next month.
