dastan on zweih: “I think Vanya is very mechanically gifted.”

The first roster with Lyokha, Sanya, Zheka, Emil, and Belych [Qikert, TRAVIS, Jame, nota, and BELCHONOKK. — Ed.]... I didn’t understand his potential. There were high hopes for Emil. I didn’t have any expectations; I just wanted to get back to [major] events. When I think about it now, it’s a little hard for me to get back into that mindset. I realize that I’m a slightly different person now.

Speaking of AW, we needed a new person to continue developing and proving ourselves. Maybe some communication issues had already arisen, so it was better for us to go our separate ways to different teams. You have to understand that AW now and AW six months ago are different players. I think this change was actually good for him. At magic, he has more freedom, trust, and defined roles. I often see him in Belgrade—we still have a good relationship.

Vanya, I think, is very mechanically gifted. Despite his young age, he stays calm in clutch situations and throughout the game. He’s probably a unique player because he grew up in foster care. When you see a good, healthy family where the child was given a lot of time, attention, and is truly loved very deeply... That’s new to me, too. <...>

...> Usually, most of the guys on our CS team come from somewhat rough backgrounds. Some don’t have fathers; their parents are divorced—not the best circumstances. I don’t know what Vanya’s standard of living was, but he definitely lived comfortably. I think that’s a plus, but real life is still pretty tough and demanding. To prove yourself in the long run, you need to look at life as objectively as possible and develop your maturity as a man.