Look Sports Media – In a revealing interview ahead of the IEM Kraków 2026 playoffs, Furia’s star rifler Mareks "YEKINDAR" Gaļinskis didn’t hold back, launching a scathing critique of the current Counter-Strike professional circuit. Speaking exclusively to looksports.media, the Latvian powerhouse described the relentless tournament calendar as "complete ass," highlighting severe concerns about player burnout, declining match quality, and the detrimental impact on professional health.
YEKINDAR’s candid remarks come as Furia prepares for a quarter-final clash against Aurora in Kraków, following a tumultuous start to their 2026 season. The team experienced an "up and down" performance at BLAST and an initial stumble at IEM Kraków against FUT. However, a pivotal victory against The MongolZ seemingly reignited their spark. "Maybe we were missing the LANs. Maybe it was something about the atmosphere," YEKINDAR mused, noting a significant improvement in their play despite recent role changes.
A key factor in Furia’s resurgence has been the explosive performance of young talent Danil "molodoy" Golubenko. YEKINDAR praised his teammate, revealing molodoy had been playing through illness. "He’s sick, he has the flu now, and he’s been playing sick the whole time," YEKINDAR stated, emphasizing molodoy’s immense potential and the team’s efforts to guide him. "It’s all about what he’s going to do with his talent."
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The conversation also touched upon Furia’s recent revenge victory over Na’Vi, a testament to their improved preparation. YEKINDAR contrasted this with their experience at the Budapest Major, where exhaustion and inadequate strategizing contributed to their downfall. For the Na’Vi rematch, Furia invested heavily in preparation, meticulously planning their approach and map pool. "We spent a lot of time preparing, a lot of time understanding, trying to understand what was going to be our plan," he explained, crediting this diligence for their hard-fought win.
However, the core of YEKINDAR’s frustration lies with the broader ecosystem. He elaborated on how the back-to-back events prevent top-tier teams from showcasing their peak form. "You don’t really see the best versions of the best teams in the world because they are going from an event to event," he asserted. The constant travel and overtime hours for both players and staff inevitably lead to burnout, hindering tactical evolution and adaptation.
Beyond the mental toll, YEKINDAR highlighted the physical health challenges. Late game schedules, often designed to maximize viewership in different time zones (especially for a South American team like Furia), leave players with limited healthy food options. "You finish the game, for example, at 11 PM or 12 at night, and then the only thing you can eat is McDonalds," he lamented, underscoring the "nuances that definitely are hitting us hard on health-wise." He advocates for longer breaks between events, allowing players more time at home and better opportunities for physical and mental recovery.
Discussing Furia’s strategic framework, YEKINDAR detailed his collaborative approach with legendary in-game leader Gabriel "FalleN" Toledo and the team’s analysts. Their goal is to provide enough direction without overloading players, ensuring everyone is "on the same page" during matches. YEKINDAR primarily oversees the CT side, focusing on movement and opening plays, while FalleN handles the T side.
Reflecting on his past struggles as an IGL with Liquid, YEKINDAR clarified that his tactical foundation was sound. The issue, he believes, stemmed from a lack of leadership quality and the absence of a crucial "second voice" in the team. "At some point when we started losing and losing, my mental was just dropping down. Eventually, I started to be a little bit toxic," he confessed. This experience has shaped his current dynamic with FalleN, whom he describes as "very lighthearted and very warm," contrasting with YEKINDAR’s "more strict and kind of the bad cop of the team." This "great combination" is key to Furia’s success.
Looking to Furia’s future beyond FalleN’s eventual retirement, YEKINDAR acknowledged the inherent unpredictability. While the team aims for a robust system, he stressed that it will always adapt to the specific players involved. "You cannot change a player and play the same system," he stated, suggesting that any post-FalleN era would necessitate a complete re-evaluation and "happen on the fly."
As Furia pushes deeper into IEM Kraków, YEKINDAR’s insights offer a stark reminder of the unseen pressures and systemic challenges facing professional Counter-Strike players, even as they strive for glory on the biggest stages.
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