Aykut Sapaz, BLIX.GG: Hello and welcome Kaiser. Thank you so much for your time and congratulations on your win against MAD Lions in the first match of the Spring Split.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Norman ‘\u009cKaiser’\u009d Kaiser: <\/strong>Thank you.<\/p>\n Kaiser:<\/strong> I mean, really good, for sure. Like, after we came back from the winter break because we dropped out against SK. Of course it is nice, especially because we really stomped them, right? They had almost no chance. It definitely feels nice and extra nice because MAD Lions was my ex-team, right? So, there’\u0099s some competitiveness there. Yeah, it is nice for sure.<\/p>\n BLIX: Beating your old team, that must be fun. I can’\u0099t imagine. Before we get into the game, how was the off-season for you?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Kaiser: <\/strong>Honestly there was not much off-season for me. I was just spamming solo queue because I was really frustrated after winter [split]. I wanted to get better because I knew that my current level is not enough to win the split, right? So I was just spamming solo queue games, trying champions and just trying to get better as much as possible. I think we only had maybe a few days break, like 4-5 days maybe. And then we started scrimming again.<\/p>\n BLIX: Wow, that doesn’\u0099t sound like a lot of vacation.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Kaiser:<\/strong> Actually, I don’\u0099t even remember. Maybe it was a week or something. But of course, we just wanted to get better. I think that’\u0099s- Like, we were at 5th place, which is not the worst that could happen but I think we all have more, how do I say it- Like, we just want to win, right? I think 5th place is not enough for anyone.<\/p>\n BLIX: Yeah, I imagine coming off of the regulars, the expectation must have been higher for you. You guys have started this new season full of possibilities with a win on your side now, in the Bo1s. What are your comments on the game you just played against MAD?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Kaiser: <\/strong>I think we had just a really good draft, like, we had a good read on the meta. We knew what they wanted to play, kind of. We just probably surprised them a bit with how we drafted as well. So I think, yeah, we just had a really good draft and we executed it well as well. They didn’\u0099t really stand a chance. I think, like, some opportunities maybe – which they kind of messed up or missed. But I think our draft was just way better than theirs and we just played it.<\/p>\n BLIX: Yeah, that was literally the definition of that game. We’\u0099ve seen no big mistakes from your side and it was just very fun to watch. Do you have any other surprises for drafts you’\u0099re cooking up behind the scenes? Nothing specific as to not leak anything.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Kaiser: <\/strong>I mean, for sure. It’\u0099s a new patch so we’\u0099ve tried a lot of stuff. We just want to be a lot more flexible, I guess. And of course, with Upset coming in, he has his own opinions as well. He adds another perspective to a lot of things. In general, yeah, we do have some stuff prepared. Of course, I can’\u0099t name it. We showed Darius today, we showed Aurelion Sol, we showed the Caitlyn-Heimerdinger lane, right? That’\u0099s a lot of new stuff that we played and we are comfortable with.<\/p>\n BLIX: Yeah, those were good showings and I’\u0099m excited to see what comes next. As you mentioned, with Upset coming, a new voice has entered the team. How is playing with him? How does he fit in with the team?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Kaiser:<\/strong> Playing with him has been really really nice. I think me and Neon – we got along really well, I think just in the gameplay perspective-wise we just didn’\u0099t match well together because we were both a little bit on the quiet side. In contrast to Neon, I think Upset- like, he talks a shit ton honestly. He makes plans, he talks about wave, he really likes to improve. He always talks about matchups and he always talks about what we could maybe pick or what we could’\u0099ve done better, right?<\/p>\n Especially in game when we have two players who don’\u0099t speak that great English, having a shot caller that is confident in his ability to lead the game, I think that’\u0099s kind of what we’\u0099ve missed. Like, of course Perkz is a good shot caller but I think as a mid laner it is sometimes hard because usually you always have to play around side lanes. Bo, he’\u0099s good and he can also, like, be the shot caller in a way, but I don’\u0099t think he has the understanding of English right now to kind of solo lead the game. I think Upset is really filling in that gap and basically giving us direction, I guess. I think that was really important and what we lacked last year or last Winter Splits.<\/p>\n BLIX: That is very insightful, as to how a team works with foreign players and players who may get along well but don’\u0099t in-game maybe. And as Upset adapts to the team and you guys adapt to him more, we will see Vitality take off. Do you have any expectations for the split that you’\u0099d like to point out right now?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Kaiser:<\/strong> I try to not expect anything because I know that even though you could be stomped in scrims or you could be losing scrims, I guess it doesn’\u0099t really matter. I just try to focus on the next game, kind of. I don’\u0099t even want to think about who I’\u0099m playing next, I just want to focus on our side a little bit and try to take each small step. Then, in a way, I feel like we all arrive at the finals, maybe we play with G2 or KOI or whatever, right? I think that should be our goal: just taking small steps until we’\u0099re basically the winners.<\/p>\n
BLIX: How are you feeling right now after that win?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/6f93f9e3494c2389.png\")
Vitality, image credit: Michal Konkol\/Riot Games<\/span><\/div>\nA new player joins: Upset<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/83dd1b5815012e4e.png\")
Image credit – Michal Konkol\/Riot Games<\/span><\/div>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blix.gg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/824d6cd06b087492.png\")