Casper "ruggah" Due, the main team's new head coach, assumed his role a month early, bringing a fresh vision and authority to the Danish lineup.
In his seven-year tenure at the esports pinnacle, ruggah has contributed to leading teams like OG, OpTic Gaming, and North. Now, he aims to steer the new, adjusted lineup, including newcomer Alexander "br0" Bro, towards the top of elite CS2 competition.
He outlines his strategy for success in the interviews below.
"Our initial boot camp was highly successful, marked by intense focus and positive energy from the team—a coach's dream. Ahead of IEM Chengdu 2024, another boot camp will hopefully sharpen our strategies and readiness," ruggah shares.
"Victory will always be Astralis's goal; as the head coach, it's my prime objective. Though new to the team, I see us quickly advancing towards our goals. Despite the usual uncertainties with new lineups, my focus is on our competitiveness and improvement. Achieving a significant milestone soon is certainly within our reach," he notes.
Integrating the 21-year-old rifler br0 has helped the performance staff reshape the lineup, offering Jakob "jabbi" Nygaard and Martin "stavn" Lund improved roles to drive match-winning plays.
"Adding br0 was strategic, aiming to realign roles within the team. Reverting stavn and jabbi to their proven positions and maximizing their impact is my top priority," concludes ruggah.
"For Astralis, winning is key, and it's why I'm here," declares the head coach.