![Kubz: "If any NA team wants the secret to beating [Fnatic], my bank account is always open"](https://cdn0.gamesports.net/content_teasers/55000/55506.jpg?1498586939)
Geposted von MrAw3som3_GER,
Kublai "Kubz" Barlas: For me, watching former players succeed is always a feeling of joy so it’s nice to see the guys get opportunities in the LCS this Summer, and you can bet that I watch them closely. Just this past weekend, myself and Klajbajk sat in a Skype call for over 12 hours first watching Kikis and Amazing play, and then Nisqy. I watch LCS every week, but I pay more attention to games my former players are in and I am hoping that they will do well.
It was a really kind gesture of Kikis and Nisqy to both spell out F-N-A in champ select before locking in their champions, and I take that as the ultimate sign of respect, former players giving one final shoutout to their old teams before finally turning the page. I will definitely be watching all MM and EnVy games the rest of this season, cheering on the guys and supporting them just as I did when we were a team.
Kikis stated that he was having the most enjoyable split of his career at Fnatic Academy. A lot of this falls back to your ability to create this special team atmosphere where everyone involved references it as the "FNA Brotherhood". What is the recipe for having a team grow together so tightly?
Kubz: I think that as a coach, it is my responsibility to create positive team atmosphere and a good work environment for players to thrive in and for me growing up, the coaches I remembered and valued the most were the ones who were able to create a real sense of “family”.
The reality we all know is that every year teams and players change, but for the time you are together, you need to always have each others backs and love them like they were a brother. It was actually Klajbajk who first started calling people "Brother" one day during a VOD Review, and from there it sort of just grew and we became the Brotherhood. The sense of family on our team just meant every day wasn’t work, it was 6 of us doing what we loved with people we loved.
The feeling of being the Brotherhood was so strong we actually opted out of doing the “Fnatic” cheer after wins and did “Brotherhood” instead. It was because of everyone buying into this idea and really committing and fighting for one another that we were able to achieve our goals, along with having fun doing so. I have so many memories from that split that I will cherish forever and hope that the others feel similarly.
I was watching your stream lately and the viewership count compared to what is being offered in terms of knowledge is way too low - at least in my personal opinion. As you have the chance to address potential viewers, what are the main reasons people should tune in to see Kubz?
Kubz: The thing with streaming is I only really get time to do it in off-season or when I’m not working with a team, and I don’t really stream content that everyone finds that exciting. VOD reviews, pick / ban review and playing through random games isn’t something that appeals to many but if you’re someone who wants to learn about the game at a deeper level from someone who’s been around for years, then I think it would be worthwhile to come watch and see if you like it!
You've been vocal about people's perception of you and how you feel people still view you as the same person you were in 2014. What changes on your personality do you value the most and was there a special reason/event that made you notice you cannot go on like you were doing before or did it come naturally by maturing over time?
Kubz: I think for those who have been around long enough remember that I was kind of a massive idiot when I first got started in the competitive scene and that still affects me to this day. There is a loud group of people who want to see me fail. Unfortunately for them, that’s not going to happen no matter how much they type mean words about me.
I think the big wake up call for me was after leaving compLexity, I had several LCS offers but they all disappeared because I was viewed as a massive PR risk. That sort of forced me to look in the mirror and really understand that I had to grow up. I have spent every day since putting in all my efforts to becoming a better person and for the most part, I think that I have done a good job.
I still have slip-ups now and again, but overall I think I’ve become someone I can be proud of. I’m hopeful that as I continue to improve on myself people will be able to look past the idiot I was back in 2014 and see the effort and change I’ve undergone and give me a second chance.
What are your plans for the future? Is there something in the pipe we might not know yet? And would you like to regroup as many of the former Fnatic Academy guys as you can at your next station?
Kubz: The future remains unclear for me. I don’t have anything in the works as of right now, but I’m confident that something will come up for me. I’m the only coach to ever promote a team in both North America and Europe, I’ve placed Top 3 in all 4 splits of Challenger I have ever competed in, and never missed the Promotion Tournament.
Promoting 2/4 doesn’t sound so great but when you consider that the 2 times I failed to promote were with Copenhagen Wolves Academy and Huma, I think I’ve accomplished more in Challenger than anyone has expected of me. The ultimate dream would be reuniting the Brotherhood, but life isn’t a fairy tale. I’m sure our paths will cross again and if that happens to be at my next team, I would be ecstatic. I love those guys.
When you had the chance to undo one thing in your esports career - what would it be and why?
Kubz: All of 2014. I was an idiot and regret it all more than anything else in my life.
Since this is an interview for a German site, a lot of readers might be interested in how you liked living in Berlin? Outside of League of Legends, what did you like doing the most in this city?
Kubz: Living in Berlin was a really fun experience for me. Although everything I needed was a 10 minute walk or less away from the team house, I did get a chance to go and explore Berlin a few times and it is an amazing city. I am planning to visit again in the future for sure!
In addition to that: Did living in Berlin teach you a thing or two about the German language? If so, can you demonstrate your skills?
Kubz: I learned a few words in German, but unfortunately nothing fluent since Amazing was German and would speak to someone if they could not speak English. Danke :D
Final question related to Germany: Since you have been living both in North America and here - What are the biggest benefits of living here and what are the biggest disadvantages. There is something on my mind about German pizza sucking. :D
Kubz: Biggest advantage for me was how efficient everything was. From public transportation to food delivery to the gym setup, it was all setup rather efficiently. The only real disadvantage was the pizza. We did find one really awesome place to order from. The Brotherhood had more than our fair share of Pizza from Call a Pizza :D
With Rift Rivals around the corner you make up for the perfect interview partner. Can you tell me how you think Rift Rivals will play out between the two regions? Will there be a surprising team? Do you expect it to be rather one sided for EU as many people do right now? And which team will make its region proud in the end by taking the crown?
Kubz: I think that because NA has to send P1, EU has a greater chance of winning. As much as people like to make jokes, the top of both regions is a lot closer than many think. On any given day, the top teams from each region could take a game off of each other. I don’t think there will be any big surprises, but I definitely think the EU fans are thinking it will be more one-sided than it will be. In the end, I think Fnatic will take the crown at the event. There’s no team that has really figured out how to stop the animal style yet, and I don’t foresee that changing at this event. If any NA team wants the secret to beating them though, my bank account is always open ;)
After losing your hard earned opportunity to coach in the EU LCS because Fnatic was forced to sell the spot of Fnatic Academy, are there particular rule changes that come up to your mind you would like to see in the future? For example having to keep at least 3 of the players that were responsible for getting the team into the LCS in the first place?
Kubz: The sale of the spot definitely brought up a lot of questions regarding the entire process and how it needs to be handled in the future. Since NA has franchising coming, this really only applies to EU but I don’t really think putting rules in place to protect the team to qualify is something that will be coming back.
The problem is, a lot of times the teams who qualify are good enough to be a bottom LCS team, nothing more. In this instance, we had a situation where you had a team qualify that was not only just hitting their stride, but a team that would have contended for a playoff spot. Ultimately the owner of the spot has the right to make decisions on the players and staff they want, and if they choose to replace everyone that is well within their rights.
It sucks and isn’t fair to those who worked hard to get the spot, but it’s life. I just hope that this whole ordeal has shown Challenger players the dangers of qualifying and helps them negotiate clauses to be immune for a split if they qualify for LCS or something along those lines.
Where do you see yourself in 3 years from now? Is there a possibility of a full Brotherhood reunion sometime in the future?
Kubz: Hopefully coaching in the LCS as a Head Coach. My goal is to make Worlds as a Head Coach and I’ll continue to work towards that goal as long as I am able too. I’m sure in the future the Brotherhood will reunite for a nice weekend to catch up. The bonds we created on that team were some of the strongest I’ve ever been a part of and I’m hopeful we will continue to stay in touch as time goes by. We still all talk daily to each other and I hope that will continue for a long time.
What would you consider your biggest strengths in coaching (e.g. P&B) and what are areas you think you should improve on?
Kubz: When I was relegated back in Season 4, coaches were not able to be on-stage for Pick / Bans so we only had time to talk backstage between games and I made a crucial mistake of not focusing on the strongest pick in the series (Support Morgana) and instead focused too hard on getting pr0lly onto Zed again after his Game 4 performance.
I watched that series back for months after and vowed to never get out drafted like that ever again so I take a lot of pride in my drafting ability. Sometimes I’ll make picks that people feel are questionable, but I always have a reason and the players always understand the thought process to everything.
I previously mentioned my successes in Challenger, but I didn’t touch on Player Development. I’ve gotten a lot of joy out of seeing former players make it to the LCS, in one case I even had to get on the phone with one player's parents for several hours to convince them to let him continue pursuing competitive league as he had a lot of potential and asked me to do so.
He is now happily playing in the NA LCS and I’m glad he was able to achieve his goals. I think overall, I’ve been doing this a long time so I’m well equipped for most scenarios and so I feel that I’m strong in a lot of areas due to this. I’m hopeful to prove this to the masses when I make it back to the LCS as a Head Coach. Also, Late Game. No one will EVER beat me in the Late Game.
How does it feel when you see someone like Broxah, who has performed under your leadership in the early stages of spring split this year before getting promoted to the main roster, being extremely strong in the LCS and maybe even winning the whole split? Also how much does it mean to you when people like him - which has happened in an interview recently - mention you as one of the reasons of his insane development?
Kubz: It’s always humbling when a player mentions you for their success. Broxah came in Day 1 not knowing how to jungle, and was constantly down 2 levels and 50 CS to Amazing every single game when we first started. It was through his own hard work and dedication that he became the player he is today and if he feels that I contributed to that in any way, I’m extremely humbled. I’m so happy to see him become one of the next big jungle talents in Europe and hope that I will be able to help others as I helped him.
From a coaches standpoint and if it differs also from your personal one: Do you prefer the franchising system coming up in NA 2018 or the relegation system which will be continued in EU?
Kubz: I don’t like franchising, but I understand why it’s coming in North America. There is too much money floating around and too much instability with relegations for massive investment in the North American scene. I’m a results-oriented person and value that over anything else, but in North America it’s more about building brands and growing a fanbase than being the best. With the Academy teams coming in, I think it offers someone like myself a great opportunity to help younger players reach the LCS a lot faster and I’m very hopeful for the entire project and hope that it turns out well.
A fun question to wrap it all up - if you had to make a boyband out of the FNA Brotherhood who would be a) the silent one, b) the chick magnet, c) the class-clown, d) the bad boy, e) the smart one and f) the leader?
Kubz: a) Dana (Mr. Rallez) b) Nisqy c) Klajbajk d) Kikis e) Amazing f) Me
Thank you so much for taking your time to answer all these questions. I wish you all the best luck and will be cheering for you when you finally reach your goal and get to coach in the LCS. You deserve it by now and I hope teams will finally understand it as well. Any shoutouts?
Kubz: Thank you for reaching out to me. I don’t do many interviews so it was a really fun experience to get to do one of these again. To those who support me, thank you so much. I do this as much for you as I do it for myself and without you guys, I don’t know where I would be. You mean the world to me. I have some final words I’d like to say to wrap this all up:
To Kikis, Broxah, Amazing, Nisqy, Rallez and Klaj:
I said it after we won in our huddle and I'll say it once more: Thank You for the greatest experience of my life. We accomplished something that is harder to do than it was 3 years ago and we did it in style while having a good ass time together.
I’ll miss the basketball games, the post-scrim High School Musical jam sessions, our chill time playlist but most of all, your company. I loved coming to the office each and everyday to work with you and I hope that years from now you will look back at our time together and the experience of playing for me was something you will remember fondly. I love you guys forever and always. I hope you all find success wherever you end up in this game and in life. Love you guys. We'll talk soon
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