Astralis is pleased to announce that Alexander 'alexsomfan' Nielsen, our 30-year-old Talent Coach, will be joining the Main team as Assistant Coach, effective immediately. This appointment follows an extensive search led by Sports Director Kasper Straube, who has worked persistently behind the scenes to find the ideal complement to Head Coach Casper 'ruggah' Due.

Since assuming the role of Head Coach for the Main team in February, ruggah has independently managed coaching duties while maintaining a strategic overview. However, the addition of an Assistant Coach to further analyze and elevate the team's performance has been a top priority.

alexsomfan has consistently demonstrated his capabilities since joining Astralis as the coach of the Talent roster. His efforts in developing young talent, combined with his experience in Main team bootcamps and his role as a trainee at official tournaments, including his recent position on the performance staff at BLAST Premier Fall Groups, have showcased his potential for this new role.

alexsomfan: "I'll need time to settle in before I can truly make my mark fully, but I already have a good sense of where to make a difference."

After careful consideration, it is clear that alexsomfan is a great fit for the Assistant Coach position, a decision that has now been formalized.

Straube: "We've Been Consistently Impressed by His Skills"

Kasper Straube, Sports Director at Astralis, expresses his satisfaction in finding the right candidate for the role:

"We recognized the need for additional coaching resources to develop and manage the Main team as we envision. During our scouting process, we naturally considered both internal and external options. As Talent Coach at Astralis, alexsomfan has been in continuous dialogue with the Main team, and we've been consistently impressed by his skills," says  Straube.

"Although alexsomfan is relatively new as a coach, from day one, he has demonstrated a deep understanding of CS and a strong desire to grow. He's not afraid to challenge both players and staff, which is an underrated but crucial quality when coaching the kind of players we have on the Main team."

"We are confident that, together with alexsomfan, we can develop him into one of the top coaches in Danish and international CS. Both parties agree that stepping into the role of Assistant Coach for the Main team is the right move for him," Straube adds.

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alexsomfan: "I Already Have a Good Sense of Where I Can Make a Difference"

"I'm thrilled that Astralis and Straube have trusted me with this role and all that comes with it. Over the past six months, I've been on the sidelines with the Main team, supporting and learning from them, so this is a natural next step," Alexander Nielsen says.

"I'll need time to settle in before I can truly make my mark fully, but I already have a good sense of where to make a difference."

"I'm excited to dive deeper with more eyes on the training sessions and more time for 1v1s with individual players. It's an experienced team with talented players, so there's a limit to how much new stuff I can teach. But never underestimate how much a good conversation can spark valuable insights," he adds.

Dennis Rytter Appointed as New Talent Coach

At the same time Astralis is pleased to announce the appointment of Dennis Rytter, an experienced Danish coach, as the new Talent Coach, effective Monday, September 2.

This appointment follows alexsomfan transition to a new role with the Main team, leaving the Talent roster needing strong leadership.

Dennis Rytter, 36, brings a wealth of experience from his recent tenure as Head Coach of Apeks Rebels, a position he has held successfully since December 2023. Before that, he coached PROSPECTS, focusing on developing young, promising players.

Read more about the new talent coach here.