Here’s why you should believe in Karrigan in Team Falcons

At first glance, Karrigan’s move to Team Falcons may seem strange. He’s 36 years old, the season with FaZe Clan was a failure, and his individual form hasn’t been impressive for a long time.

But if you dig deeper, this is one of the most logical transfers of the year.

The biggest impact of this move will hit FaZe Clan itself. The team is losing not just a captain, but a system-defining leader around whom the structure has been built for years. Without him, the roster will almost inevitably fall into a painful rebuild with uncertain prospects.

Team Falcons, on the other hand, are getting exactly what they critically lacked – an authoritative and proven captain.

"1. Here’s why you should believe in Karrigan in Team Falcons","1.1. The best captain for a star-studded lineup","1.2. The experience that was missing","1.3. A winner’s mentality","1.4. Age is not a problem (for now)","1.5. Individual form"

The best captain for a star-studded lineup

Finn Andersen is one of the few IGLs in history who has consistently delivered results across different teams: from TSM to MOUZ and FaZe Clan (twice, in fact). Even many top-tier captains lack this kind of versatility.

More importantly, he already knows how to work with star players. In the Falcons lineup, this is a key factor given the presence of NiKo, m0NESY, and kyousuke.

His job isn’t to frag – it’s to lead. And that’s what he does better than most.

The experience that was missing

Kyxsan found himself in an inherently difficult situation. Managing a roster filled with superstars of the past, present, and future at the age of 25, without championship experience, is nearly impossible.

Moreover, according to Ilya 'm0NESY' Osipov, the CT side was effectively being called by NiKo. That directly calls into question the captain’s role within the team.

Falcons looked disjointed, as if the players were operating on their own. This is the main symptom of lacking a strong IGL.

Karrigan solves this problem immediately through his authority, experience, and understanding of in-game structure.

Despite having figures like NiKo and zonic, Falcons lacked a leader capable of controlling the game in real time.

For Karrigan, this is a standard situation. He has already played with top-tier stars, including NiKo himself, and knows how to maintain balance within a team.

NiKo himself has emphasized that there is no conflict between them, contrary to the widespread myth about past disagreements.

A winner’s mentality

Even after winning nearly every possible title, Karrigan hasn’t lost the most important thing – the desire to win.

This is exactly what Falcons were missing. The team didn’t look weak as much as emotionally unstable and not fully committed.

Now they gain a leader who doesn’t ignore problems, doesn’t look for excuses, and is capable of openly addressing weaknesses.

This is critical for a team that, in recent months, seemed unaware of its own mistakes.

Age is not a problem (for now)

Yes, Karrigan is 36, and that can’t be ignored. But Falcons need results here and now.

The key goals are upcoming major tournaments like PGL Astana and the Major in Cologne.

Over the span of one or two seasons, he has more than enough resources to lead the team to titles.

Moreover, his arrival opens up an interesting scenario – passing the captain role within the roster. For example, NiKo has already stated that he is ready to develop in this direction.

This approach has worked before – just remember the Zeus and Boombl4 duo in Natus Vincere.

Will s1mple return to the Tier 1 scene?

Individual form

The main argument against Karrigan is his weak stats.

But that’s nothing new – he hasn’t been a strong fragger for many years. And that has never stopped his teams from winning.

Moreover, the rating gap between him and kyxsan is minimal – around 0.04 over the past months.

At the same time, in certain matches, he is still capable of being one of the best players on the team.

Most importantly, Falcons don’t need their captain to frag. That responsibility lies with NiKo, m0NESY, and kyousuke.

Team Falcons have finally acquired a true captain. Not just a player with the IGL role, but a leader with experience, authority, and a deep understanding of how to manage a star-studded roster.

There simply isn’t a better candidate on the market right now. And if this lineup doesn’t start winning, then the problem will definitely no longer be the captain.