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Astralis, a Danish esports outfit, has named coach Peter “casle” Toftbo Ardenskjold to intermittently assume control of the squad while they find a replacement for the previous Counter Strike: Global Offensive team coach, Martin “trace” Heldt.
The fact that the squad did not qualify for the IEM Rio Major is almost certainly one of the primary drivers behind the massive roster overhaul that was recently implemented. After suffering defeat at the hands of forZe, the Russian team, Bad News Eagles, and Ninjas in Pyjamas, the team finished their run in Europe RMR A with a record of 1-3. It is the very first time in the history of the franchise that they have failed to qualify for a CS:GO Major.
According to a statement released by the organization, the first step toward revitalizing the squad is to find a new head coach.
The CEO and President of Astralis, Anders Hørsholt, noted that the outcomes achieved in the Counter-Strike unit of the organization have been below standards. He also noted that all hands have been on deck to make a positive turn around on the organization’s CS:GO team.
“We have not lived up to our own expectations at all in terms of results in the Counter-Strike division. In the coming weeks and months, we will work on modernizing and developing the organization around the Counter-Strike team, where our Director of Sports will be looking at all current and potentially new roles and needed upgrades on and around the team,” said Hørsholt.
“We have set the bar incredibly high with what we achieved in 2018-19. No one will ever reach that level of dominance, but that does not change the task on hand: We must restore clarity in the way we do things, and we must return to a position where we are in the fight for titles and top positions. It won’t happen overnight, but the work has begun.”
The outgoing coach, Trace, has been working for Astralis ever since March 4, when he was given an upgrade from his previous position as a coach in the organization’s academy, Astralis Talent. Since then, his greatest accomplishment has been guiding Astralis to a semifinal finish at the IEM 2022 in Cologne, where they were ultimately eliminated by Natus Vincere.
Other changes in the organization include Astralis parting ways with player Kristian “k0nfig” Wienecke on October 10, after the player testified to his participation in a physical fight that took place in Malta.
It has been speculated that there is a very good possibility Nicolai “dev1ce” Reedtz may make a comeback to the lineup. According to the most recent sources, Ninjas in Pyjamas and Astralis have already come to an agreement over the price of the player, which is €600,000 ($589,000).
The squad is moving down a different path as a result of the recent release of k0nfig and the availability of a new head coach. It is not clear at this time whether the squad will keep its other four players on their roster. At the moment, the full-time roster consists of Asger “farlig” Jensen, Lukas “gla1ve” Rossander, Andreas “Xyp9x” Højsleth, and Benjamin “BlameF” Bremer, with Mikkel “Mistr” Thomsen serving as the substitute for the Blast Premier the next week, where Astralis will be playing against Eternal Fire on October 19, with $1.42 odds and the latter with $2.73 with the top esport betting sites.
Fans should anticipate hearing several more revelations in the run-up to the event, as there is only one week left until it takes place.
