B1ad3: "s1mple is the greatest player of all time, he just needs to get back into shape"

NAVI's CS2 coach, Andrey "B1ad3" Gorodensky, addressed the question  whether Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev will return to the professional Counter-Strike scene. In an interview with Dust2 Brasil, Gorodensky speculated that if the Ukrainian cyber athlete starts training now, he could find a worthy team after the Shanghai Major.

"I think this question should be directed to s1mple himself. I can't say anything specific because we are focused on our current roster. He is taking a break, so obviously, he is not in his best individual form and needs to start doing something. Once he is ready to return, anything can happen, we don't know. After the Major, there will be a big transfer window – typically, this is when teams that completely failed, such as those who didn't make the top 8, undergo changes.

Any team in need of a good sniper could become s1mple's new home. If I were in s1mple's position, I would already start training to show that I am ready to return after Shanghai – it's the perfect moment to jump on that train. I don't know, he might start playing online tournaments with tier-3 teams to get back in shape. We all know s1mple; he is the greatest player of all time, he just needs to get back in form."

It should be noted that Oleksandr has been on NAVI's bench since October 2023. In March this year, he played for Falcons on loan at the BLAST Premier Spring Showdown 2024 – the team lost their first match and finished last in the tournament. Recently, Kostyliev stated that he might return to the pro scene "soon."