Jame on the benching of n0rb3r7: We needed a YEKINDAR type of player to open up our system
The CIS squad seem to have found another strong entry-fragger after losing Mareks "YEKINDAR" Gaļinskis last year.
Virtus.pro/Outsiders was the first top-tier organization to make a roster change in 2023 when they announced the signing of the 18-year-old rifler Alexander “KaiR0N-“ Anashkin. Bringing in the Russian talent means that David “n0rb3r7” Danielyan now has to live with a spot on the sideline on the profiled squad.
There has been a lot of talk and rumours surrounding the transfer due to it being so close to Outsiders’ impressive title run at the Major in Rio de Janeiro in November last year. Now the captain and IGL Dzhami “Jame” Ali has opened up about the move and the decision behind it.
- In fact, everything is clear in the announcement, Jame writes in a Telegram post. There's not much to add. We needed a YEKINDAR type of player for our system to open up fully.
- This decision is shared with everyone (players and org) (there is no other way anywhere else). Everything was open and without dirt. We are playing the next tournaments with KaiR0N-, and we will see there, Jame concluded.
A benching in CS:GO often means a goodbye. However, that is necessarily not the case here with n0rb3r7. Because in the press statement when they announced the transfer, CEO at Virtus.pro, Nikolai Petrossian, proclaimed that they are setting up a six-man lineup in some sense.
- By signing KaiR0N- and retaining the contract with n0rb3r7, the roster gets the flexibility it needs, the ability for rotation, and remains robust, which is unattainable with a stand-in model, Petrossian said.
With that being said, the organization is still ready to send n0rb3r7 on a loan if other teams show interest in the Russian/Armenian rifler.
