NertZ: "I know, I am sure, that we are gonna be a top five team"

While not the only team with a stand-in at the playoffs of IEM Dallas, few could scoff at HEROIC's run to the arena. Visa issues prevented the international team from playing with their new AWPer, yet, they still shocked fans and certainly their opponents with a run to 5-6th place at the Texas event.

After the team's elimination, Dust2.us Daniel "Scoobster" Khurgin spoke with the team's star rifler Guy "NertZ" Iluz about the team's performance, the new AWPer, and if he had any regrets with the way his old ENCE team broke apart.

Please note that the full interview can be found below on YouTube, while the transcript has some key snippets from their conversation.

This was your last tournament with nicoodoz, replaced by degster. What can degster offer HEROIC that nicoodoz could not?

He is really vocal. He gives his opinion. That's what I like to have. He has this mentality that if he wants something, he just goes for it. He says "I want this, this, this" and he knows how to do it in the best way possible. This is what I like about him.

Is that something you couldn't rely on out of nicoodoz?

They have different game styles. For us, we need a more stable AWPer. Not that nicoodoz isn't stable, but sometimes he plays more passive and degster plays more aggressive. We needed that in this team.

Before this event, you're coming off a decent semifinal finish at BetBoom Dacha, now you finish with another playoff appearance, do you finally feel like HEROIC is finding that groove to become that top team you think you can be?

Obviously, we want degster to be top five in the world, and I believe it. He is insanely good. He is working a lot. He wants to improve as a person and in the game he's asking a lot of questions. I know, I am sure, that we are gonna be a top five team if we keep playing together.