PR joined MOUZ during the summer off-season, 18 months after he initially left the organization's academy team to join GamerLegion. He stated that thanks to some existing relationships within the team, he felt that experience had prepared him for this promotion.
"Joining this team is definitely easier than going to another one, because I already have some connections," he told HLTV on the media day of BLAST Bounty Season 2.
Compared to his previous team, a major change is that he has shifted to a more passive role on the CT side, and the Czech rifler admits he is "struggling" with it.
"Sometimes I feel like I could have done something, that I might not have helped enough," he said, "but that's one of the things I need to learn."
He also discussed Cache, which was recently added to the map pool, MOUZ's expectations for this tournament, and xertioN's in-game calling style.
Q: You're wearing the MOUZ jersey again, and this is the team that gave you your start in CS. Does it feel like a return, or does it feel like joining something completely new?
PR: This is very different from joining another new team, because I already know some of the players. For example, I've played with xelex for two or three months, and I've also known xertioN for a long time. So joining this team is definitely easier than going to another one, since I already have some connections, making it easier to integrate into the environment.
Q: You spent a long time in the academy team but didn't get promoted, then joined GamerLegion and gained extensive experience in tier-1 tournaments. Compared to when you left the academy, do you feel more prepared now to join a true top-tier team?
PR: Yes. I feel that the year and a half at GamerLegion gave me a lot, so for me, it's better to spend some time there and gain experience before joining a real top-tier team. It's not as big of a leap as if I had been promoted directly from the academy team—in that case, I would basically have almost no LAN experience, so it's definitely easier now.
Q: When we talked to you in January, you said you were excited about something that was about to happen, but it didn't come true. Now that it has succeeded this time, how happy are you?
PR: I just want to say that I misspoke last time, and my English isn't the best, so that wasn't exactly what I meant. But yes, I'm really happy it worked out this time, and now I'm playing for MOUZ.
Q: The team you joined has a very established core: torzsi, Spinx, xertioN, and the coach, who have been playing together for a long time. What is the biggest thing you have to adapt to when entering a new system?
PR: I think the biggest thing I've had to adapt to is probably my role and position in the game. I'm playing some positions I haven't played before, so that's the biggest thing I'm struggling with. It's new to me, so I need to adapt, I need to learn, that's just how it is.
Q: We saw you holding B Apartments on Mirage in an official match, which isn't exactly the most exciting role in CS. How do you feel about adapting to these smaller holding positions?
PR: Like I said, this is something new I need to learn, but day by day I'm getting more comfortable and more confident. I think in a few more days or weeks, I'll master these positions. [smiles] That's what I think.
Q: There are obviously far fewer firefights in those positions. In some rounds, you can hardly do anything. Do you find that frustrating?
PR: I'm just enjoying my time. I'm not used to it yet, so sometimes I feel like I should be doing something, or that I might not be helping enough—I can't really say. I just have that feeling that I could be doing more, you know? But that's one of the things I need to learn.
Q: You said you already knew your new conductor, but that was before he took on the role. Given that he is a very new conductor, what do you think of his system?
PR: He is a new in-game leader, but I really like the way he calls. I'd say I still have more responsibilities than before. On the T-side, I have more control over my areas on the map. But at the same time, it's a balance; it still needs to align with the overall round strategy and structure.
Q: Since you're such a young team, this lineup has only played four official Cache matches together according to HLTV. Does that mean you have more homework to catch up on compared to other teams, or is it actually better to approach it with a fresh perspective on CS2 rather than the old version?
PR: Personally, I've never played Cache before, so it's completely new to me. But I'm really enjoying it, and I like the map. Maybe it's a bit selfish of me to say this, but everyone has to learn it. Since we haven't played it in a long time—I think most of us haven't, [even though] some might have played it a long time ago. So I feel a little bit good about it, because I'm not the only one who's unfamiliar with something.
Q: Many top teams were eliminated in the online stage, so according to VRS, you would be the second biggest favorites after Spirit. Based on the seeding, if both of you advance, you won't meet until the finals. So, is reaching the finals to face a team like Spirit your goal here?
PR: I think this is our biggest opportunity. This is the first tournament, so we don't know what the upcoming events will be like, but if I had to guess, I think now is our greatest chance. At the same time, I wouldn't say we're under pressure. We don't have any expectations or goals. We just play, take it step by step, and only focus on our next match. That's it.