zehN, spargo depart HAVU; Banjo, ottoNd to be trialed

2/2/2023 - 20:07

The Finnish duo leave the organization and join free agency after their contracts expired.

Jesse "⁠zehN⁠" Linjala and Jarkko "⁠spargo⁠" Rahja are no longer tied to HAVU, the organization announced on Twitter. They will be replaced on the active roster by the returning Otto "⁠ottoNd⁠" Sihvo and ex-fnatic Rising prospect Matias "⁠Banjo⁠" Kivistö.

This is the latest in a series of changes that HAVU have made in the last six months, but the new arrangement is not yet permanent as both incoming players join on a trial basis.

Banjo joined his first team since his departure from fnatic Rising

zehN's second stint with HAVU began in July when he was signed alongside spargo and Joonas "⁠doto⁠" Forss during the team's restructuring around Sami "⁠xseveN⁠" Laasanen and Jani "⁠Aerial⁠" Jussila in the summer of 2022. The new lineup failed to find consistency through their time together and included wins at Pelaajat Series Fall 2022 and Elisa Open Finland Season 3 Finals, but also last-place defeats at tournaments such as Elisa Masters Espoo 2022.

spargo was the youngest member of the lineup and only averaged a 1.05 rating in the time spent with HAVU, a score which fell to just 1.03 when focusing on his offline performances. In contrast, 31-year-old zehN consistently appeared at the top of the scoreboard for the Finnish side, registering a 1.14 rating over the course of his tenure.

HAVU announce revamped roster

"2022 had its highs and lows for our CS:GO team. As the journey continued we realized that this team of amazing individuals we're not finding the level of play that was to be expected by us, but even more by them individually," commented HAVU's CEO, Lasse Salminen.

The new lineup has already experienced its debut at CCT North Europe Series 3, where they claimed a 2-1 victory over MOUZ NXT to secure a spot in the competition's next stage. ottoNd inaugurated his return to HAVU with a 1.11 rating against the academy side.

HAVU are now:

Joonas "⁠doto⁠" Forss
Sami "⁠xseveN⁠" Laasanen
Jani "⁠Aerial⁠" Jussila
Otto "⁠ottoNd⁠" Sihvo (trial)
Matias "⁠Banjo⁠" Kivistö (trial)

Mikko "⁠xartE⁠" Välimaa (coach)

Can be huge for havu

2023-02-02 20:07

7 replies

LETS GOOO

2023-02-02 20:08

5 replies

Yes looks great

2023-02-02 20:12

1 reply

Sideways move imo

2023-02-02 22:55

recycling ottoNd again

2023-02-02 20:13

2 replies

-ottond +ottond

2023-02-02 20:23

-ottoNd +motivated economically struggling ottoNd?

2023-02-03 01:53

nop

2023-02-02 22:35

nice

WHY DO WE HAVE TO NUKE EVERY DECENT FINNISH TEAM FOR FUCKS SAKE

18 replies

zehN didn't want to continue with HAVU, and spargo was worst with AWP than ottoNd :) twitter.com/zehncsgo/status/162118545296..

2023-02-02 20:11

17 replies

ah I see otherwise having ZehN stay would of been best instead of Banjo

2023-02-02 20:38

10 replies

imo no, 4 old riflers is too much, need sergej banjo something else, podi as awp would be the dream

2023-02-02 20:56

9 replies

oke Ill take that but whom would of been ideal to be removed instead of zehN? not that it matters much seeing zehN chosen this himself. its still fun to see where havu is at. for sure Id say adding Ottond is good idea.

2023-02-02 22:08

aerial i think, or xseven, they just cant get to next level and are pushing over 30. they should duo carry this team but they are not. havu needs to build good team and not just buy one like they done so far, ence did it great with all randoms basically. (finnish ence, allu only one known)

2023-02-02 22:56

6 replies

true true I would remove Aerial then.

2023-02-02 23:46

4 replies

aerial is big game player.. when you have played in major final it doesnt feel so motivating to play basically only onlinecuos for 3 years straight :D

2023-02-03 09:24

3 replies

he is insane at his top potential

2023-02-03 09:25

Yeah top potential. When I saw him play he was all aim no brain in ENCE. I rather have xseven he handled pressure moments way better as well. Clutch guy Thats a guy that wins you rounds and rounds win you games.Aerial just makes some rounds look competitive and then loses them. he should of been replaced with SuNny back in the day.

2023-02-03 12:18

i agree xseven is all around better than aerial but aerial's potential is higher

2023-02-03 14:33

Xseven is still good. Hes the one why they are near top 30. They need good igl and awp

2023-02-03 06:36

give up on sergej bro, he's done

2023-02-03 10:22

Kind of sad that he’s already looking at coaching, I get he’s older but he was just the best player on the best finnish team, you’d think he be more confident in his playing ability

2023-02-02 20:58

He might not have energy to grind in some top 50 team anymore. He has insane talent, but no1 is willing to take him sadly. Zehn in ence would be nice

2023-02-02 21:08

Yeah that’s kind of what I was starting to think, and it actually would be interesting to see him in ence for valde, since they are lacking finns and maden was playing with him for a long time.

2023-02-02 21:17

2023-02-03 03:23

Weirdly compelling idea actually ngl.

2023-02-03 17:08

So agreed. He's that type of player when you can't count his age upon his performance.

2023-02-02 21:27

LULLand CS

otto 2023 kekw

ottond kekw

2023-02-02 20:10

Why did zehN leave?

twitter.com/zehncsgo/status/162118545296..

Why kick your best player?

No one was kicked? twitter.com/zehncsgo/status/162118545296..

didnt get kicked, he left

They didn't kick them out. Those players chose not to renew their contracts

sad for zehN, hopefully he joins better team maybe with suNny?

zehN wanted to leave, so :)

zehN tier1 revenge arc

2023-02-03 12:56

Let them cook

hope HAVU will get into top 25-30 on a consistent basis, +banjo can be huge

2023-02-02 20:15

I do think zehn has still tier 1 capabilities if he is the 3-5th best player on that team. He is known to be a good secondary caller and also good individual. For example, OG or Vitality could be good fits if they don't find succes. Also there is now multiple okish finnish players like mr. Firepower, sergej and now zehn and spargo. So could there be a chance these guys form a second tier 2 team that fights for top 30 spot, maybe.

8 replies

I have already stopped hoping for sergej coming back; dream team rn would be zehN, suNny, jimpphat, podi, banjo ; suNny IGL, zehN secondary IGL, and I can see them really being able to grow the talents to success;

2023-02-02 20:19

Idk about sunny, but this could work.

2023-02-02 20:22

yeah, I mean, aleksib would be needed as IGL for Finnish scene to really get to the top, but I'm not even gonna dream about him coming back to lead Finnish team :D

2023-02-02 20:24

That line-up would be somewhere in top 20 to top 40 if everything goes to plan. The thing is that what sunny has to offer as igl and is podi ready to awp in the highest level.

2023-02-02 21:15

Sergej doesnt play csgo anymore afaik. You cant be serious with Vitality and Zehn, i mean Zehn is decent but will not be signed to a tier one org. And sunny seems to be very washed.

2023-02-02 20:20

Yeah right now. So wasn't nitro 1 year ago and now he is playing in liquid. Its like 50% chance that he comes back with motivation. We'll see.

2023-02-02 21:09

And zehn would be a really good fit for either dupreeh or apex. It is rumoured that apex's responsiblity in igling isn't that big. In some sides in certain maps he isn't calling. Like ct side in mirage, both spinx and dupreeh have taken the role. Yes it is not likely that zehn would move to vitality but fitting and roleing wise he is maybe the best option for them right now.

2023-02-02 21:12

lulquid tier 10 team

2023-02-03 09:22

-boto +jimpphat if they want to win something but I hope jimpphat goes on actual team and not this fiesta

2023-02-02 20:18

yes, -igl +star rifler :D

more firepower, also I thinks aerial or xseven time to igl, they old

yes because being IGL is only about the age :D

soon they washed, not good enough for t1 rifling so being igl now is smart choice for career

2023-02-02 20:21

That's not how IGL'ing works :D There simply is not one player who has successfully become an IGL just from "not being good enough aimer"... Use brain pls

then they need to retire in 1-2 yr unlucky for havu

2023-02-02 20:25

2023-02-02 20:54

2023-02-02 20:42

jimpphat is needed

Jimpphat is needed if any Finnish team wants to break to top 15, but HAVU might not be the team; honestly right now tho, if Finnish team wants to make it to the top, we need AleksiB to come back

I agree

PLEASE JIMPPHAT AND SERGEJ!!!!

sergej isn't playing CS:GO anymore; We can always dream of him coming back with his brother, but it's a long-shot

2023-02-02 20:26

Who’s his brother ? Edit: oh nvm

2023-02-03 12:45

He's done with CS, apparently currently a truck driver and drug addict. Would be a dream if he came back to CS one day to play with his brother. I really don't understand how one of the most naturally talented players ever can just throw it all away like that. Just crazy to think someone would prefer an average 9-5 job over being one of the best CS players in the world and getting a great salary. Top 13 player in the world at 17 and major finalist just 1 day after turning 17...

2023-02-02 20:30

Drug addict??

2023-02-02 21:21

The truck thing is only a meme bro

2023-02-02 22:48

Sergej wasn't very motivated even before he joined ENCE. He's more interested about beer and women now.

2023-02-03 10:40

zehN leaving sucks since he was playing good, his choice after all, but +Banjo is huge. This team needs that young blood, perfect replacement. Also getting ottoNd back is huge, way better than spargo. Let's hope they can crack Top 20 now. Who knows the potential of this line-up when most of the players aren't pushing 30s.

JUST BISBAND IDIOTS

2023-02-02 20:27

Looks like a fine roster still. I'm pretty sure they still won't lose their potential spot in the EU closed qualifiers because they retain the core. Might actually make it to the RMR if they just keep this roster together...

2023-02-02 20:33

Why trail someone who played for you like 2 times

2023-02-02 20:47

zehn retirement inc

2023-02-02 21:05

A bit weird choice from Zehn to want to leave Havu now when Havu has been pretty good lately and in the highest ranking in ages. Also he was good individually and he is so old that idk what team would take him, at best he could get to a team like Apeks but that's not much better than Havu.

Zehn must have gotten a better offer

W for Banjo

No Arttub0b no win

2023-02-02 21:28

Banjo is maybe beast ! otto again havu :DD but thats nice

2023-02-02 21:36

finnish cs is a mess bring back 3dmax with goat xarte

2023-02-02 21:46

goat XartE is actually coach of Havu

2023-02-02 22:42

Oh boy

2023-02-02 22:07

Ottond has never been Good or even average so I dont understand why Havu picked him up, again

2023-02-02 23:43

"Tell me you started watching cs in 2021 without telling me you started watching cs in 2021"

2023-02-03 00:21

+1 ottoNd was crazy on CR4ZY/Valiance

2023-02-03 02:07

hltv.org/stats/players/11283/ottond?star.. hltv.org/stats/players/11283/ottond?star.. better than zoree

2023-02-03 02:17

Glad spargo is gone, but zehN was my man. I wish him the best, he was an actual legit player on this team and I hope he joins a better team.

2023-02-03 03:55

-spargo is ok but zehN?! their best player?! WHAT THE... finnish cs have no logic and hopeless

2023-02-03 04:04

Zehn wanted to leave i think

2023-02-03 05:50

I love how every dumb guy in HLTV always misread these articles as "players got kicked".... zehN didn't want to renew his contract, simple :)

2023-02-03 14:40

Why trial otto? the org already knows hes good

i hope this trial goes horribly so they realize this is not enough of a change, they need to get rid of aerial

2023-02-03 06:29

zehn is already 31... Could've had better career tbh

2023-02-03 07:08

Dear g-d. Picking ottond the mr No motivation again.

2023-02-03 07:51

unexpected considering how good HAVU had been doing lately. I guess some personalities dont match, cant see any other reason for 2 players to leave at the peak of team

2023-02-03 11:55

Anyone heard anything about why zehn didn't renew contract? Only ever heard rumors about xseven being quite toxic teammate, but enough that he wouldn't renew and take havu salary? Wouldn't that be better while looking for other possibilities?

2023-02-03 14:17

Don't listen to those rumours, like... ever :D

2023-02-03 14:41

There is a chance Havu doesn't have enough budget to have all otto, aerial, xseven and zehn. Also he might feel like havu is stuck in tier 2 even tough he is playing on tier 1 level. Who knows

2023-02-03 16:49

pog

2023-02-03 15:21