Plying his trade for K10, Jamie “Tree” Callan has turned heads with his recent performances. Many pundits see the young rifler as one to watch in the UK scene. This weekend he is attending EPIC.LAN as part of the mix Team 7PM who have already secured their place in the playoffs.
After an outstanding win against Unscrew the Bleach he sat down with UKCSGO’s Tom “tomtom94” Coles to discuss his time on K10 and the various trial offers he has received from ESEA Advanced teams.
You’re playing EPIC with a mix (Team 7PM), how’s it going?
It’s going alright, everyone’s really friendly, everyone in my team’s getting along really well, which I think is the most important part in a mix – even if you lose, everyone’s having fun.
That brings me onto a good point, because you’re a mix, how seriously are you taking this event? Is your goal to win, are you going to be disappointed if you don’t make top 4?
I think top 4 is a bit far, there’s some really strong teams here, but I think we could push to top 8, which is the ranking I got with K10 last team. I think that’s possible, because we were seeded 8th overall [before the event].
What’s your win condition for this event?
I think I just need to play well individually, I think I’ve been a bit shakey in the first games getting used to the setup on LAN. I think I could win it if I perform properly, like I do online.
A few nerves?
Yeah.
Is there anyone you really want to play?
I was really hoping to play smooya’s mix [The Neighbours], because they’ve got some really strong players on that team and I’ve never actually played against smooya before. I just think that’d be a really good game to play, even if they trounce us.
Who do you think is the best player on that team?
Honestly it’d probably be, I think Extinct is playing for them isn’t he? It’d be Extinct out of those.
You’re playing with K10 this year, how’s that been going?
It’s been great really, it’s the first time I’ve had a proper org that wants to do media, takes us to events and stuff, everyone in the team has been really friendly. We’ve stuck with the same five players for, it’s almost a year maybe? We’ve stuck with the same five players, we’ve really improved as we’ve gone.
So you’ve got AdamJC as an IGL, he came in as a fragger and transitioned to being a caller, how’s it like playing with him as a leader?
He’s great as a leader. I think he’s really great individually, like, mechanics-wise. It’d be really cool to see him playing for, like, an Advanced team, not in the IGL role, but as a leader he’s great. The charisma is amazing, whenever we’re feeling down he just knows how to make us feel good again.
Whenever we’re feeling down AdamJC just knows how to make us feel good again.
You mention Advanced, do you think that’s the level he could play at in the future, do you think he could play even higher?
I think everyone on my team could play in Advanced. I think that we should, if everything goes according to plan, make Advanced in this next ESEA season, whenever it’s going to happen with the ESEA / FACEIT swap.
Does it sting a little bit, because you’ve come close to making Advanced twice and missed out?
Yeah, so, as we were getting through play-offs in the last season I think we started to slow down a bit, individually, and we very nearly had it. I think it was an overtime loss that took us out, so it stung a little bit, to not make it. We obviously think we can make it, in the next season.
When you were starting out as a player, you went to the Benelux scene for a bit, can you talk a little about why and what differences there are between it and the UK scene?
I think at the time, when I was making the decision to join Machine Soldiers, it was really just that I wanted to try IGLing for a team for the first time, and that was the team that picked me up, they gave me a chance, I was only 17 and they let me IGL that team and we got up to Main.
The scenes, I don’t think they have too much difference really, other than [Benelux] really don’t have many teams at a higher level, Main and above. I think their National Championship, ESL Benelux, gets a stage final, or they might not do that any more, but we almost made it. I think that’d be really good to have in the scene, I think we’re getting that now in ESL Premiership, but I think that really helps a scene, seeing people up on stage and actually having a proper event.
You mentioned in-game leading, is that something you want to revisit in the future?
Potentially, I wanted to get some more experience in a better team like this, and I want to play under more IGLs to better understand how to do it, because starting off I really had only seen an IGL in Open or something, so I need more experience if I’m ever to go back to the role.
Speaking of the future, have you had any offers from other teams?
I’ve had a couple of offers for trialling, but unfortunately I had A-level exams and so I couldn’t do a trial for an Advanced team, and then they picked someone else up, but it’s motivating to get those offers to trial. It means people have got their eyes on me, you know, and all my hard work’s paying off.
Do you think you’re capable of playing at Advanced level right now?
Definitely, yeah. I definitely need to get a bit more experience in, but I think I could be on a team at Advanced level.
And where do you see your potential, do you think you can go all the way?
I think so, yeah. Obviously it’s not gonna be an instant thing, I’ve been working really hard individually, going up through the leagues, but it’s still a long way to go. I don’t think I’m even halfway there, in terms of getting to the top level, but that’s where I want to be.
Last question, what are your goals for the rest of the year in CS?
At the start of the year I said I really wanted to make Advanced by September, but then kind of with the ESEA / FACEIT CS2 thing, it’s kind of delayed that. So I really hope that by the end of the year I can make Advanced, be that with K10 or if I maybe get another offer from a higher level team.
