"Individually There's Not a Single Day I Tell Myself It'll Be Tough" — Zicssi on Solary's Slump and His First International at the WSCI
Photo Credit: Solary
After dominating the first two splits, Solary stumbled in the LFL Summer — and now they get a fresh stage to prove themselves on. Lanzo "Zicssi" Ciajolo and his team have travelled to Korea for the WSCI, the first international event ever held between tier-two teams. RFT.GG caught up with the jungler to talk about what went wrong domestically, the motivation the tournament has injected, the group draw that reunites them with Galions on the other side of the world, and whether a strong run could be the proving ground for his LEC ambitions.
What happened this split in the LFL? After your domination in the first two splits, I don't think anyone expected that drop-off.
A lot of things. I think we were less good individually, less good as a team, less motivated. And then we struggled to find ourselves — when it's not going in the right direction, everyone tries to cover for each other, so we scatter. So yeah, I'd say a lack of motivation, maybe of confidence.
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One thing that may have impacted us is that — he came very late. When he's there and we're all together, I feel like it always goes better. It was a visa issue, so he couldn't be there before,
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Aetinoth
wasn't with us for most of the split
but now we'll have him until the end.
Do you feel this tournament (the WSCI) suddenly brings the motivation back up? Did you feel it with the team?
Yeah, the tournament motivated everyone like crazy — and we have two South Koreans with us, so for them it's even more than for us. But I think it's a huge chance we have this year, and everyone is super motivated to perform well. You really felt it in practice, it's going much better.
How do you feel about being in Korea with this opportunity, and what's the mood in the team?
Personally, I'm very, very happy and very proud to represent Europe on this. We're all a bit tired, but the acclimatisation is going well. We're at BFX office and honestly it's XXL — the setup is insane, so everyone's going to be very happy. I don't have many negatives to say.
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It's a first international for everyone, even the staff, right? Does it add pressure, or is it more excitement about the unknown?
I think it's excitement, hype. I don't feel stressed at all, and I don't think the team does either.
If anything, mentally it'll maybe be more stressful for the Koreans [Jool and Piero], because they have more to prove here — but for now, it's just hype to play the games. It can go fast too: there are six games and you can be out.
When you say the Koreans have more to play for — what do you mean exactly? Is it that they're more in the spotlight, playing at home, with a scouting angle for them?
When you're Korean, I think you want to play in the LCK, and this is a good moment to show yourself — it's at home, in front of people who know you. So I think it brings them more. But honestly, maybe that's not even the case. We'll give it everything during the time we're here.
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You got the draw — you travelled to the other side of the world to face Galions again. That's something.
We can't take it anymore...
I think we're both a bit disgusted, because even for them, in terms of the tier-three teams, I don't think we were the easiest team to play. So they're disgusted, we're disgusted, but that's how it is. We'll do everything to make it happen: we're hoping to both qualify.
Are you happy with the tier-one team you drew? Was there better?
Honestly I don't know them too well, but I have the impression it was the easiest of the tier-ones.
I feel like we got a bit lucky there.
And on top of that, the last game we played against them, technically we won — so we have the psychological momentum.
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The Koreans and Chinese are known for their proactive solo queues, for being mechanically strong, for fighting all the time — even at the academy level. Does that side worry you, or do you think you can make the difference on macro, where academy teams are less renowned?
Personally I'm not too worried. I think we're a very good mechanical team — honestly, individually there's not a single day I tell myself 'damn, this is going to be tough.' On macro, if we're really focused, I think we'll play much better than the others without really getting skill-checked.
And even for the skill-check, I'm really not scared.
Do you see this tournament as a real proving ground for your LEC chances next year, now that scouts have their eyes on Korea as well — the LCK and LCK CL? Being able to face them and tell yourself: if I'm stronger than them, why would they pick them and not me?
A bit. I don't worry too much about what's in the scouts' heads, but I think it's a good opportunity for me and everyone. Since people watch the LCK and LCK CL a lot, comparing ourselves to them gives a better idea of the level we can have individually or as a team.
I think that's important, it's probably more important than the EMEA Masters afterwards.
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If you put up a correct-to-average performance, would you be disappointed not to get an LEC shot next year after the year you've had with Solary?
Year after year it's harder and harder to get LEC shots. This year in the ERL, we completely missed out on one split but had a very good year otherwise.
So if I don't get a shot after this year, next year it'll be really, really much harder.
You don't know the teams, you don't even know if there'll be an LFL. But I'm waiting to see — we'll see who ends up where.
