Ex6TenZ: "We didn't want to add a coach from the start because it could mean too many ideas clashing"

We caught up with Kévin "⁠Ex6TenZ⁠" Droolans and Damien "⁠maLeK⁠" Marcel after G2's victory over FaZe to talk about their opening match and the way the team is progressing with the addition of a coach.

G2 kicked off their run at ESL One New York with a victory, as they took on the #5 team in the world, FaZe, and beat them in a three map affair with the decider going all the way down to the wire. Tomorrow, G2 will play Liquid in their group's winners' match for a spot in the playoffs.

In the interview, the French coach and Belgian in-game leader talk about the changes that have come about with the addition of a coach to the team, the match against FaZe, and what G2 needs to become a successful enterprise.

Let's start by talking about the idea of bringing maLeK in to help. Where does adding a coach to the lineup come from?

Ex6TenZ: You know, all teams have a coach these days, but with shox, SmithZz and myself on the team, we realized we'd already had a lot of ideas, so we didn't want to add a coach to the team right from the start because it could mean too many ideas clashing. We decided we wanted to lay out our ideas on the table first, but we knew we would eventually get a coach. Now, it got to a point where it became clear that we needed a coach, and we know what Damien [maLeK] is worth, we know his qualities, and we know he can help us. Or at least we hope! (laughs).

Damien, could you tell me a bit about how working with the team has gone since you joined?

maLeK: I spent three days training with the team before the tournament, although there is something that people don't know, and that is that I went to SmithZz's house for a week before the Major. I wasn't with G2 at the time, SmithZz just contacted me to come and help him out, so I was in TeamSpeak with them, but I didn't say anything about the matches, I was just helping SmithZz.

During that week I was in contact with Jerôme [NiaK], G2's manager, and before the Major he asked for my thoughts on the team. During the Major, the problems the team faced were the ones I had reported to him before the tournament, so I think that made him want to keep stay in touch with me.

One thing I noticed right off the bat is that the team is full of structure, with a very squared plan, and it wasn't leaving enough room for adaptation and to really live in the game. It was all about the gameplan and preparation, it was too harnessed. During those three days I really worked on trying to be free, to make it about creation and adaptation, to work a lot on communication and being clearheaded in the mid and late rounds so we could win the important clutches and make the best decisions possible.

We didn't work on strategy, we didn't think too much, we didn't overanalyze this tournament. I think it really helped because I saw the team adapt a lot today and I saw the players being a bit freer and allowing themselves to make more plays, which is good.

You played FaZe at the Major in BO3, but it went their way 2-0. What changed here?

Ex6TenZ: The first difference is that we started playing our map and not Mirage, because if they dominate us on the first map that gives them a confidence boost and then they have an advantage in the series. I really believe that if we wouldn't have started on Mirage at the Major we could have won Dust2, maybe just barely, but I think we would have won it. We didn't get the choice today, but luckily it happened the way we wanted and we were able to win Inferno,16-13, and although we got dominated on Mirage, it was 1-1.

As you saw, the veto also changed, and we didn't play the same maps. There were Inferno and Cache and I think that also made a bit of a difference. We didn't play great, but it was better than at the Major. I think we also didn't play the best version of FaZe. Different maps, us playing a little bit better, and them playing maybe just a little bit worse, that did it.

maLeK: Also, after Mirage, when I saw your faces...

Ex6TenZ: And Damien! It's true, he brought a new energy. You know, it's never easy to go from one tournament to the next, for any team, it doesn't matter if FaZe or us. Perhaps we bounced back a little bit better, and I think in large part it was thanks to Damien who brought a new energy.

Talking about different maps, you started really strong on Cache, but then let FaZe bring it back all the way to the 30th round. How did you make that last effort to get the win?

Ex6TenZ: I don't think we should talk too much about the score. On the Terrorist side, we won the key rounds. We won pistols, got 5-0, then reset them a couple of times... Then the same thing happened but the other way. Well, not exactly, we won pistols, but we made a few errors and when you play a team like FaZe you end up paying the price.

What do you think?

maLeK: I think that if we look back historically, G2 hasn't had a reference match on Cache with two or three very solid CT-side set-ups, with players making big plays comfortably, etc. It's still a map that needs a bit of work, so even if it's 13-5, the gun rounds still have to be fought hard. At the Major against compLexity that didn't happen, for example, so we just need to find the right combination to stay calm, clearheaded, and find that thing that will make it click.

Even if we get wrecked four, five, six rounds in a row, we need to stay calm, find the round we can win, and start to link rounds together to make it to 16 before the other team. Tactically, we haven't had the time to redo anything in three days, so it's really just about remaining calm, finding that thing that works, and linking round after round.

I believe you said in the past that after half a year or so a French team could find their peak. Do you think you're in the right direction?

Ex6TenZ: No, I don't believe that, I believe the opposite! I believe it's a huge mistake to think that way. Look at Astralis, they have been together for two-years-and-a-half and they've been rising little by little. They were always good, but there were moments that were very tough for them. Look at when they were always failing to make it past the semi-finals, but they kept going... My goal is the same. I want us to work on the foundations, I want us to be patient, and I want us to understand that reaching a level of play in which we have automatisms won't happen in two or three months.

We have to be patient, play together, be mature, and I hope we'll be able to withstand the blows because nothing is certain. I hope the players will be patient and that in this sense we'll be able to be mature. If it were up to me, there wouldn't be any changes in a long time because I'm sure we have quality players, I just think some need some growth, others need to find confidence, and as far as myself, I believe I will be able to show up in the big tournaments. We have a lot of things to improve on and nothing is clear because we live in a world full of pressure.

Something I noticed during the match today was that there is a lot of talking between you and shox between rounds, can you tell me a little bit abou that dynamic?

Ex6TenZ: We discuss a lot of things, we both have the most ideas and we talk the most, although one thing we've worked on is making sure the other players also have their place. We talk a lot before and during the matches, he plays a little bit farther out on the map, so his calls are completely different than mine. I build the rounds, while he finds the gaps and how to exploit them, so I think that makes us complement each other quite well. We don't play the same positions, so I need him to make calls like that.

Before coming here, did you set any goals for the tournament?

Ex6TenZ: You answer this one, I'm already talking too much! (laughs)

Although I did say that we have to go round by round and match by match, I wasn't about to be funny and say we were going to come and win after seeing the group we were drawn, I rather play before talking.

maLeK: The goals were, of course, to go match by match, but also to really concentrate on ourselves. Personally, I want it to be about concentrating on the human part of a team; good energy, good attitude, and to believe in what we're doing. And if we fail, we need to understand that it's part of the process. We need to live through it, and that's just how it is.

I also wanted to release the individualities. I told them we are going to make a lot of mistakes, and I haven't seen the demos, but I'm sure we made plenty. I'm also sure we made some really good calls with good individual movement, taking initiative, and that was very important.

Ex6TenZ: And to focus on the positives!

maLeK: Yes, to focus on the positives! Really. It will come. There will be matches we'll look back on, like this one against FaZe, which validate the positivity and the work we have put into making individual plays. It's great, we're in the middle of the process, and now I'm just waiting to see what happens in tomorrow's match.