Berlin Allianz franchise player on being selected

David Olander-Persson shortly after having been drafted at last year's Combine. Photo: Paul «RedEye» Chaloner

Name:
David Olander-Persson

Position:
Berlin Franchise Player

About the author
David Olander-Persson was the captain of the CS:S team in 2007. In 2008 he was selected as franchise player of Berlin Allianz. The twenty two year old live in Sweden where he also studies information technology.

Last year I, nine other gamers and General Manager Jonas Alsaker Vikan started a journey together. A journey that was the beginning of the best trip I’ve ever had as gamer.

When someone asks me to describe Berlin Allianz with one word, I say family. From day one together with both GM Jonas Alsaker Vikan and the other nine players in the team we had a blast. I remember the European finals and what I said to Liefje before her DoA game, «Don’t worry, you only need two rounds and we will win this» - she took her two rounds against Miss and eventually we won. The reason why I said this was to both boost her confidence and to try to make her less nervous.

This is what the Berlin Allianz is all about, we are a big family, we help each other out in every way we can. I remember thinking that I hate watching other games than the game I play, I hated a game of FIFA but after a few matches I began to enjoy it more and more and the game between «Manyna» and his brother «Chud1k» at the 2007 European finals was one of the most nerve wracking games I’ve ever seen. Every game counts as much as your own and it is equally important that you feel good as it is that your teammates feel good about themselves. No game is more important and one point in DoA is as important as one point in Counter-Strike:Source.

During the world finals we started out with a daily workout at the gym and after that we went to the practice rooms. After playing as much as possible we all went out as a family to a restaurant that each night a different person in the team selected. We spent hours just talking and we had so much fun together. I know for a fact that every single one in the 2007 lineup want to be in the same team for 2008. This is how well Jonas succeeded in making us what it is all about, a team.