Benched NIP CS2 IGL claims some teammates didn’t “respect” his calls

Declan Mclaughlin
NIP hampus

NIP benched Hampus ‘hampus⁠’ Poser after his return from a medical break and the player said in a recent interview that he felt like some of his teammates didn’t respect his in-game calls when he returned.

CS2 has seen a large number of roster moves as the year winds down and teams look toward the future in the new Valve title. Ninjas in Pyjamas is no different, however, their recent moves around their IGL has less to do with the switch to CS2 and more to do with team chemistry and leadership.

NIP benched IGL hampus took most of the spring off due to medical issues. In a recent interview with HLTV, he claimed that after returning from break, his team no longer listened to his calls.

“I felt like I had no power when I came back. I couldn’t really do things the way I wanted, so you always had to compromise with the coach or the performance coach and so on. Then I also felt that there were some players who did not respect my voice on the server and then it is very difficult to get good results when people don’t listen sometimes,” hampus said in the interview.

NIP benched IGL dishes on CS2 teammates

When hampus originally left the team back in January, NIP brought in Danish journeyman Kristian ‘k0nfig’ Wienecke as his replacement. The team then benched Aleksi ‘Aleksib’ Virolainen as the Swedish IGL returned in June.

Since his return to the squad, NIP failed to qualify for Gamers8 and finished outside the top 20 in ESL Pro League Season 18. NIP announced hampus’s benching on October 24, 2023.

Hampus said in the interview that he is currently considering offers from other teams, but is not in a rush to join a new team. The IGL added that he’s looking to join a team that has no grudges and is prepared to work as a cohesive unit.

“A team where everyone is on the same page and understands that this is a team game. Play for each other and die for each other in all situations. That is something I missed at times in NIP,” hampus continued.

About The Author

Based in Indiana, Declan McLaughlin is an esports reporter for Dexerto Esports covering Valorant, LoL and anything else that pops up. Previously an editor and reporter at Upcomer, Declan is often found reading investigative stories or trying to do investigations himself. He has a bachelor's degree in journalism from Indiana University. You can contact him at declan.mclaughlin@dexerto.com.