mezii says IGL duties are tougher than expected

Vitality’s William “mezii” Merriman has taken over as in-game leader in the absence of Dan “apEX” Madesclaire at PGL Masters Bucharest. Justinas “jL” Lekavicius joined the lineup as a stand-in.

Vitality opened the tournament with 2-0 wins over 9z and The MongolZ, giving the team four consecutive map victories.

“It’s very different. I’ve got a lot more experience now, and also learned a lot from apEX,” mezii said. “But it’s a lot more work than I remember. Maybe I just didn’t do it right the first time, and now this is how you do it.”

The match against The MongolZ required fewer adjustments after Vitality chose Cache, a map the team believed its opponent was less comfortable playing. Preparation gave Vitality an initial plan, while strong individual performances reduced the need for mid-round calls from mezii.

The series against 9z required more changes during the matches, though Vitality still completed a second consecutive 2-0 win. Practice before the tournament helped the players understand their roles and expectations in the new setup.

mezii has tried to learn from apEX’s leadership style, especially his ability to manage rounds when a prepared plan breaks down. He described apEX as effective at giving players specific instructions during unpredictable situations.

“It’s almost impossible, at least for the experience I’ve had, to just replicate this in one event,” mezii said. “For him, he probably has been able to evolve over the years that he’s been IGL.”

Shahar “flameZ” Shushan has contributed ideas during preparation and matches. Mathieu “MaT” Herbaut has helped with the game plan, while Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut has offered suggestions during rounds alongside his usual role as Vitality’s leading fragger.

jL has had to learn Vitality’s system while taking on different roles across the maps. Mezii described him as a positive presence who brings energy to the team and continues to adapt to its strategies.

Vitality had practiced with the new lineup before the tournament. Mezii said the team was not putting pressure on itself to reach the final or win the event, although extending its trophy streak without apEX would be a positive outcome.

“I’m enjoying the experience,” mezii said. “Of course it’s only going to get more difficult with the better teams we play, but it’s only going to help me for the future. I’m getting old, so maybe at some point I might have to do this job as well.”

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