Elfishguy: “maaRaa is the father figure who keeps them out of drama”

The MongolZ have made history by breaking into the top 5 of Valve's rankings, becoming the most successful Asian team to date. We sat down with Asian CS expert Elfishguy, who shared insights on the team's growth, its significance, and more.

What were your first impressions when you first laid eyes on The MongolZ? How has the team evolved in your eyes?

It's hard to say, I don't really remember when I first saw this team. I think probably the first iteration of the core that I saw would have been Checkmate, with bLitz/Techno & maaRaa. At the time I don't know that I necessarily expected anything out of this world from them. They've definitely evolved over their history with a lot of smart roster changes/upgrades that have taken them from just another 'tier 2 Mongolian team' to the best Asian CS team of all time.

What’s that one thing The MongolZ are doing right which maybe a lot of these other new projects aren't?

I think the biggest thing that The Mongolz has done right that other teams struggle with is building around a strong core. They're a team that hasn't been afraid to remove players, especially in cases where they looked like they couldn't upgrade (i.e. sk0R, kabal & Annihilation), and have been able to find untested players who have proven even better than those they replaced. Despite all those changes, you have the bLitz/Techno/maaRaa core as a guiding hand for the team that keeps stability in the transition periods.

What are the implications of The MongolZ's success for the Asian scene as a whole?

The Mongolz's success has done a lot for Asian CS. We can speak about the direct impacts, like an extra spot at the major, and more Asian teams at events like ESL Pro League, but I also think the 'soft benefits' are being felt as well. Viewership & interest in Asian CS is up compared to a couple of years ago, and I would largely put that down to fans finally having an Asian team they can get behind.

I remember you telling me how significant maaRaa’s contributions have been in nurturing these young talents, even though they might go unnoticed by fans. Could you talk more about it?

It's hard to say how much of the success of this team is down to maaRaa without being directly involved with the communications in the team, but based on his tenure in the Mongolian scene, and the relative success he had internationally as a coach in previous The Mongolz rosters, you do have to give him the benefit of the doubt. He's the 'father figure' to a group of young players and being able to keep them out of the drama that occurs in CS communities and keep their egos in check on this meteoric rise is a testament to his impact.

In an ecosystem dominated by international mixes, The MongolZ stand out as one of the few teams with all five belonging single nationality. Would you ever want to see any of these players join an international team?

I think at some point there will probably be a drop off for The Mongolz, it is inevitable, no team remains on top forever, so to say I never want to see them in an international team would be a stretch. I'd be happy to see a player like Techno or bLitz take a role elsewhere if the time is right, as far as I know, all the players on that roster have spoken English well enough to mean they could play internationally. For now though, I'd like the team to remain as it is, and see how far Mongolian CS can go on it's own.

The MongolZ are definitely on the right track. In your opinion, what can they do to break into the top 3 or top 5 rankings, or at least sustain their current level of play?

Well, technically according to Valve's ranking they are already in the top 5 haha. Realistically I think what we're looking for from The Mongolz as far as a next step is concerned, would be a Top 8 result at something like IEM Cologne/Kato, EPL, or a Major. A 'proper' S tier tournament with all the best teams in the world in attendance. For now they've not quite managed that.