Interview with Juha aNGeldusT Kurppa
II
Juha
Interview with Juha "aNGeldusT" Kurppa, the Leader of our New Source Team from Finnland.
NAME: Juha "aNGelDust" Kurppa
AGE: 23
CITY: Helsinki
Playing: Since 1999
Nationalplayer from Finnland
CKRAS-GAMING: Hello Juha. You are well known in the CSS Community and of course not only in Finland. Anyhow, could you please introduce yourself to the german Community?
"I'm Juha Kurppa, also known as aNGeldusT in the internet. I'm a student/part-time worker. I've been playing Counter-Strike titles since 1999, competetively since 2002 and Counter-Strike: Source since 2005. I have represented team Finland during my whole CSS career, and I have participated in numerous lans; coming home with top three placements most of the time."
CKRAS-GAMING: Many of us know, that you left your last Team Excello, because the terms and conditions there weren't the best for you. Why did you -after being in such a well known organisation- change to a mostly unknown Clan?
"Basically we left team Excello because it was not economically beneficial for both parties anymore... And what comes to joining CKRAS, I was impressed by the managements ability to negotiate, their enthusiasm towards esports and general feel of the whole deal. I've always liked the German CSS scene.. I think its probably the best one in the world and now we can indirectly be a part of it, which is just great!"
CKRAS-GAMING: Speaking of change...which events would you like to visit, what is your favorite / dream event?
"Talking about dream events, I think anyone that plays counter-strike Source would agree that the best event of the year is and has been The Experience held in Roskilde, Denmark. Thats the number one in our list and hopefully we can put in loads of practice hours to achieve great results in that one."
CKRAS-GAMING: Speaking of Events. What have you planned for 2010?
"We haven't locked anything down yet, but the aforementioned The Experience is in our sights, and towards the end of the year there is plenty of lans that we would like to attend but we will have to see which are mutually beneficial. We will also attend the next EMS, and probably ESEA Invite league online, and Summer Assembly offline in Helsinki, Finland."
CKRAS-GAMING: As a top 10 european team, what does it mean to you to show your skill in offline events? Is it difficult for you to be measured only in online competitions?
"I mean, Offline events are the only ones that truly matter. I think our team is very offline biased, and I'm sure that we will perform better on LAN than we do offline. It is going to be undoubtedly a pleasure to get some offline wins under our belts in the future."
CKRAS-GAMING: As I mentioned your team is ranked top10 in Europe, is it hard for you to show your real skill without offline events? Do you think that you are placed fair in the top 10?
"I hate to do these kind of guesses, as I like to have actions speaking louder than words. But what I can say is that if we perform our best at an offline event its not far away from the current top teams. It's been a real disadvantage for us not to have offline experience as a team that much before, but I hope this collaboration will change it and we can show what we have got both offline and online. I'm assured of this."
CKRAS-GAMING: We heard that you played fewer in the last weeks, can you tell why? Do you play with more spirit and motivation, do tue the new organisiaton?
"We have played a bit less yes, but it has been only because of the on-going exam weeks of people. It will definitely change when peoples spare time increase and of course we will practice more towards planned events."
CKRAS-GAMING: Changin the topic... Have you followed the cheating discussion about our austrian player "gu" on cadred? What do you personally think about such a discussion, especially in the light of the fact that he plays many offline events?
"I have followed the conversation about him a little in Cadred. But to be honest, if a person plays the same offline as he does online under anticheat programs, and there is no concrete evidence - I dont think there is any real reason to accuse him about anything. "
CKRAS-GAMING: In the last time there were many cheating incidents in Germany. How is it in Finland?
"Well, generally the finnish scene has been plagued by Clanbase ladders. It provides no actual competition, people playing against each other and usually on a very low skill level, and most of the time it has been infested with cheaters aswell, resulting in a paradox that doesnt get anyone anywhere competetively. "
CKRAS-GAMING: Your team is completly from helsinki with one exception. That means you know each other propably very well, do you sometimes meet after playing CS and chill together?
"Well, its easier to operate as a team when the majority is from one place. The over-all mood is really great in our team, everyone gets along and someone might call our team humour profane at best. And yeah, we do get together, infrequently but still do. Last time I had a drink with one of my teammates was last weekend :). "
CKRAS-GAMING: ckraSIDE says thank you for your time and looks forward a lot to the next tounaments with you all - online and offline!
INTERVIEW BY ANDI (CKRAS GAMING)
31. March 2010
