Yesterday evening, the Counter-Strike community was left in shock as MOUZ announced the benching of their in-game leader Kamil “siuhy” Szkaradek.

The only information provided about the decision was that the two parties had “differing visions for the team.” This lack of detail naturally led to speculation within the scene.

MOUZ elaborates

In comments to Pley.gg, MOUZ representative Jan Dominicus offered deeper insights into the unexpected roster change.

Addressing MOUZ’s official statement and its meaning, Dominicus stated:

– As much as this is a commonly used PR phrase, I think it describes the problem in our team very well. We have several brilliant CS minds on our team, and for the longest time, we were able to balance it out. Now, we felt it was necessary to establish a new structure to keep improving.

Bad timing

The decision to bench their captain comes just a week into the new season and only days before the start of IEM Katowice.

Dominicus admitted the timing was far from ideal, explaining that MOUZ had hoped the situation would resolve during the off-season, suggesting that things started to bloom towards the end of 2024.

– Clearly, we would have preferred to make this change during the winter break, but we were hopeful the vacation would provide the team with enough new energy to push through. The timing isn’t ideal, but we will now put full focus on our main goal in Austin during the first half of the season.

Brollan [far left] has taken over the IGL duties on MOUZ – Photo credit: BLAST Premier

A need for fresh dynamics

When speaking to Pley.gg, Dominicus touched on a change of dynamic within the young MOUZ squad.

– I think after such a long time together it’s natural that sometimes everything becomes less exciting, both in and outside of the game. We made the decision that in order to create new momentum, a change was necessary. Kamil is without question a fantastic player and person, and I know he will be successful in his next adventure.

According to him, the first weeks of 2025 showed signs that the team needed a “new impulse to keep growing”, as he pointed out that some of the players have been playing together for a long time.

From the outside, this decision seemed highly unexpected. How did you and the organization experience it? When did this move first become a possibility or a discussion, and what were the key factors that led to the decision?

– Of course, making any roster change is always also the admission of one’s own mistake but we strongly believed we could build on our 2024 run this year. Some of the players have been together for almost four years now, and it became apparent in the first weeks of the year that both our team and Kamil individually needed a new impulse to keep growing.

– It was obviously a very tough decision, but I am convinced it is best for all parties to get a fresh start. Kamil is without question a fantastic player and person, and I know he will be successful in his next adventure, Dominicus says.

Have you already identified a potential replacement for siuhy, or is the team still evaluating options?

– We are excited that Spinx has decided to join our project. He brings many elements that our team naturally lacked in 2024, such as his experience. He has played in all the big events and, most importantly, won them too. This will, of course, present new challenges within the group, but we believe Brollan is a natural fit to lead strategically. With support from the team and our coaching staff, he will grow into the role quickly.

Were there any talks in the off-season about siuhy leaving MOUZ for another team?

– There are always loose inquiries for every player after such a successful season. However, there was nothing specific.

What does this mean for the team’s vision for this year?

– It will give us new energy to take the next step, which, for me, is contending for titles consistently. We now have a core group that is excited to play with each other and is committed long-term to MOUZ, which I believe is essential for success. There are no more transfer distractions, and this will also give our coaching staff and players the peace of mind to implement the new system effectively.

Earlier today, MOUZ revealed the signing of Lotan “Spinx” Giladi from Vitality, as a replacement for siuhy.

Jan Dominicus is the Chief Business Development Officer at MOUZ.