Maka: "Graviti is able to see what I wasn't able to, I was not using players in the best positions"

The Frenchman spoke about giving up leadership duties and reacted live to watching his triple one-tap highlight against NAVI back for the first time.

Bryan "⁠Maka⁠" Canda relinquished leadership duties to Filip "⁠Graviti⁠" Brankovic at Esports World Cup, but 3DMAX are still working to find their footing after the change.

A victory over Natus Vincere in Riyadh and title win at Perfect World World CS Challenge Series 1 helped boost the French team's confidence early after the change, but that came crashing down at FISSURE Playground 2 after a win over The MongolZ was followed by three consecutive losses, resulting in an early group stage exit and big hit to their VRS points.

"It was a rough period in the first months because we trained a lot and went straight into two tournaments, EWC then Shanghai, to play the Perfect World tournament," Maka tells HLTV when asked about giving up leadership duties.

"Even though it went well for the team, I couldn't find my place in the team. Everything is connected, I also wasn't feeling good outside my professional life, so everything builds up fast and you're playing worse and worse."

The French sniper has been much improved at ESL Pro League, tallying a highlight of the year contender against Natus Vincere with three one-taps on Train, and says the team talks, a better balance in his personal life, and adjustments made with Graviti taking over leadership have helped.

"Even though he is shouting, screaming, or whatever, he seems really composed with the way he wants us to play," Maka says. "He is able to see what I was not able to, because some players are probably not in the best positions sometimes, I was maybe not using them in the best position on some maps, and I think he sees it."

You can watch the interview here, or listen here.

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Maka, we're here with you after the NAVI game at EPL. You didn't get the win on Train in the end, you managed to win in three maps, but you had this insane clip of the year contender on Train. You were telling us a bit about it just now, you said you haven't seen it yourself yet, so we're going to pull it up and you can walk us through what you were thinking and feeling in the moment.

I was so surprised, even by myself. Usually, when I get some clips like that, I'm kinda composed and calm, but this one was crazy. We had a tac pause because we needed it, I was [feeling] too much heat in my body... (laughs at the replay). Unfortunately, we didn't win the map, but...

Tell me what was going through your mind during that, you mentioned before we started recording about feeling fired up because you heard the casters yell.

Yeah, on the second one tap I heard the casters, and it brought me some fire for the third one. I didn't even think, 'I have to do the third one,' I just happened to. I saw him on my screen and I just tapped, and it happened. I don't know, it was a rare moment where you play CS and everything seems so slow, I don't know why. But it was really slow, like a couple of seconds in a kinda flowstate.

You made them look slow with the one taps too, so..

(Maka laughs)

Talking about the series overall, it's a big win for you. You're not through to the playoffs yet, but it's a good bounce back after you started slow in Stage 1, lost to Inner Circle, and then in Stage 2 you lost to FURIA. How are you feeling now in terms of your EPL campaign and how the team is doing?

This campaign is one of the longest ones in the season. EPL is so long and I think it shows that teams are struggling with the recovery and being able to play their A-game.

Coming out of FISSURE, we had a lot of talks, and coming into Stage 1, it seemed like we had some issues that we had at FISSURE. When we made it to Stage 2, we had to have those talks and say, 'We have to do this, we cannot do those things,' like being on the same page. It's something the coach is focusing on throughout the games and backstage behind the scenes.

Right after FURIA, even though they were really good, it was a little slap for us because we cannot play this way against even FURIA or anyone else. It was too one-sided and we can't go 2-10 or 3-9 at the start of each map.

You said you had some talks after FISSURE, can you tell me what you talked about in terms of what you had to work on? You said you couldn't keep playing like that.

It's not all about... everything is connected, from tactical points to attitude, mindset, everything, and being on the same page. The way we approach the game, see the game, feel the game. You cannot play CS when you feel scared, or you feel like, 'Oh if I do this, my teammates are going to judge me, or if I do this thing maybe it's not what what my IGL or coach want me to do.' From a tactical point we had to be on the same page, and then from an attitude, mindset, and mentality [side], we have to follow some steps where we get into the same spot mentally.

It all comes down to being able to perform at our best, being positive, cheering up your mate, and giving the best version of yourself. This is what we try to bring back because it's something we lost in the last months. That's why we beat NAVI and we showed a great face against FaZe.

Something we haven't really talked to you about since the break is you giving up leadership. Graviti has been doing it since EWC. Can you tell me what that's been like for you, and playing under him with that?

It was a rough period in the first months because we trained a lot and went straight into two tournaments, EWC then Shanghai, to play the Perfect World tournament. Even though it went well for the team, I couldn't find my place in the team. Everything is connected, I also wasn't feeling good outside my professional life, so everything builds up fast and you're playing worse and worse.

Coming to FISSURE, I think I didn't help the team with the way I was playing, and this was also something I tried to improve. I had a lot of talks with Graviti and the coach to find the perfect balance for him, but also for me because in the end, I have an important position. Even in the voice, the AWPer is important on CT side.

Do you feel like you're finding that balance now? Obviously today was a good demonstration of it, but how do you feel like you're settling into that part of it?

Better and better because I tried to understand as much as I could about how the coach and Graviti wanted us to play. Now it's kinda... I don't have those dark areas in my mind where I don't understand what we do. Now I mostly understand what we do, and I understand how I can give my input on the server.

On the opposite side, Graviti listens to me a lot, and it helps us. When he and I are on the same page, and also bodyy is important too, he also talks with Graviti, we can only help Lucky and Ex3rcice to perform in the end because this is how it works in CS. You have voices in the team and they have to be on the same page. If bodyy, Graviti, and I are not on the same page, it will hurt the whole team.

Is there something you've noticed that's the biggest difference between how Graviti calls and how you called?

Yeah, I've seen a lot of difference. First, he's a rifler, so he can easily create space or bring his ways of playing aggressively. It goes pretty fast sometimes in some rounds, but also, I find him super chill during rounds.

Even though he is shouting, screaming, or whatever, he seems really composed with the way he wants us to play. He is able to see what I was not able to, because some players are probably not in the best positions sometimes, I was maybe not using them in the best position on some maps, and I think he sees it. You kinda try to connect what he doesn't have right now and what I bring him on the table, and vice versa.

Do you feel like you're unleashed a little bit?

It's hard to say. EPL is also a weird tournament. I would say yes, in some way, because even outside of the matches we play in practices and scrims, FACEIT, whatever, I feel in good shape. I think I have a good balance in life, and I've been able to perform good, so I will say yes. But I hope to do better, to be honest, I think I can do better and I hope to do better.

Lastly, today the list for the Major was finalized. It's been a big topic, and you ended up in Stage 2. How are you feeling about that? It's still a while away, but you're there.

Everything goes so fast in CS. One month ago, before coming to FISSURE, we were aiming for Stage 3 because if we made a deep run, semi-finals or whatever, we were kinda guaranteed to play Stage 3. And we didn't.

Everyone was mad about the performance we had at FISSURE, and coming to EPL, there is no way we would have thought we could have played Stage 1. I was not there, but when we lost to Inner Circle, it was a big topic.

Even though we didn't talk about it, there was so much pressure to be able to climb back to 3-1 because if we didn't, we would have been in Stage 1. So it feels so weird to say we're happy to be in Stage 2 because one month ago, we would say we wanted Stage 3, and now we're in Stage 2. And we're happy about it.