After a rocky start to 2020, including one major member change, Dan ‘apEX’ Madesclaire has proclaimed that not only does he believe Vitality can get back to its highest level, he’s the man to get it there.
Issuing the statement on Twitter, apEX ran through the recent disappointments that have been plaguing the team. Part of Vitality’s Counter-Strike: Global Offensive squad from its foundation in 2018, he recounts the pressure they were under from the get-go. Despite this, 2019 became a good year, making the play-offs more than a few times, which he credits to Alex ‘ALEX’ McMeekin and Rémy ‘XTQZZZ’ Quoniam. “We quickly realized that ALEX had a good view on the matter of the attack so it’s been decided to give him that role,” apEX writes. “Both ALEX and XTQZZZ are the big reasons of why we developed that well and why we had such a good consistency through 2019 with around 10 play-offs appearances in a row.”
But the team struggled to hold onto that consistency as team members left, and exhaustion took hold. After grinding through a number of qualifiers and eventually winning Epicentre at the end of 2019, ALEX just didn’t have the same drive for top-level play or the travelling, so he left Vitality. “I wanna thank ALEX for the last year we’ve been together,” apEX said. “I knew him for a long time but we never had the chance to play together, and I’m happy we’ve done it.
ALEX’s replacement is Kévin ‘misutaaa’ Rabier, who will finally get his first experience of top-tier Counter-Strike after working his way through the French ranks.
I’m excited to announce that I’m joining @TeamVitality CSGO roster alongside @shoxCSGO @Vitality_apEX @zywoo & @RpKTANKK ! Can’t wait to start playing with the guys ! 🐝
Count on me to put my heart into every single moment to try to be up to your expectations. #VforVictory pic.twitter.com/WitpJkrgdV
— misutaaa (@misutaaa_CSGO) March 5, 2020
Since ALEX is gone, that leaves room for an in-game leader – a spot apEX plans to take on since Vitality’s hired a coach to help with the roster’s mental health. “I am finally feeling ready to be the captain of this team,” he writes. “It has always been somewhere in my head but I didn’t feel ready for that.”
“Now we are working with a mental coach, i’m getting way better and i’m feeling much better. I believe that our team can make it back to the highest level.”
