“We Made Sure m0NESY Understood That He Still Has This Freedom From Before” — kyxsan on Integrating His Star Player

“We Made Sure m0NESY Understood That He Still Has This Freedom From Before” — kyxsan on Integrating His Star Player

Falcons’ in-game leader Damjan “kyxsan” Stoilkovski recently spoke about how the team approached integrating Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov into their structure, stressing that they deliberately preserved some of his prior liberty in playstyle. 

“We made sure m0NESY understood that he still has this freedom from before,” kyxsan said, describing how the team eased him into the tactical framework without stifling his instincts. 

Below is a more detailed retelling that weaves in supplementary context and player insights.

Integration Philosophy: Structure + Freedom

According to kyxsan, one of the primary goals was to avoid overly constraining m0NESY. While the Falcons introduced systems and calls, they were careful to retain leeway for their star AWPer to “do his thing.” 

That said, m0NESY hasn’t been left entirely to his own devices. The squad still emphasizes coordination and the sharing of responsibilities. In an earlier interview, kyxsan acknowledged that certain strategies needed reminders:

“There are still so many things we need to implement with m0NESY… I have to remind [him] what he needs to throw, what he needs to do.” 

This balance between guidance and autonomy seems central to their philosophy.

m0NESY’s Role, Communication & In-Game Dynamics

From m0NESY’s point of view, communication and role clarity have also been important.

In one interview, he noted:

“We always talk to each other … to understand better. Just being on the same page is the most important … Everyone has their input and voice in the game.” 

While kyxsan is the official in-game leader, m0NESY has expressed that he and his teammates—including NiKo—share calling responsibilities, especially on CT side. In particular, m0NESY mentioned that NiKo holds "voice priority" on CT. 

Additionally, m0NESY has publicly praised kyxsan’s approach, comparing his leadership to that of Janusz “Snax” Pogorzelski in terms of structure:

“Kyxsan likes to have more structure around the map … he just calls very good … he always has the last word.” 

That said, the calling style isn’t the only point of adaptation. In another exchange, kyxsan admitted he was surprised by m0NESY’s communication in high-pressure moments—particularly his ability to offer ideas and actively contribute to in-round decisions. 

Broader Backdrop: The Transfer, G2’s Perspective & Expectations

To understand the stakes of this integration, it's useful to look at the backdrop of m0NESY’s move to Falcons and how other stakeholders viewed it.

G2’s management, for example, signaled frustration in hindsight. G2 CEO Alban “Stilgar” Dechelotte claimed that m0NESY “did not commit to helping us build a roster around him,” suggesting that part of the reason for the transfer was that G2 wanted more long-term alignment. 

Meanwhile, in terms of team expectations, the Falcons have not hidden their ambition. Shortly after acquiring m0NESY, Falcons made deep runs in tournaments. The pace of roster integration was rapid, and the team has often had to adapt on the fly. 

In an earlier phase, kyxsan reflected on the condensed timeline:

“It’s hard that we didn’t have pracc days … but it’s also easy because it’s m0NESY … he understands the game really well.” 

This perhaps underscores how much the team relied on the AWPer’s instincts and high-level understanding during the transition.

Additional Voices: Teammates & Adaptation

Other Falcons players have also commented on m0NESY’s influence on communication and team cohesion.

Rifler Maxim “kyousuke” Lukin, who joined Falcons during the same period, remarked on m0NESY’s help in bridging language and communication gaps:

“He helps a lot with adaptation and communication in English … Outside of the game, he helps a lot; inside of the game, it works fine.” 

This suggests m0NESY’s role extends beyond fragging or calling: he’s contributing to team harmony and clarity.