Grubby supports ESWC using 1.21

Grubby was eliminated by Sky in the World Wide Invitational, and he believes he would have been still should ESWC had used 1.22.
- I didn't really attack the towers all game, and usually when he had towers in my base it was already over, says Grubby.

Whenever you interview Manuel 'Grubby' Schenkhuizen, you know you will get at least a couple of golden paragraphs out of it. In an interview made by craven at the ESWC Masters, Grubby speaks about the patch changes, his practice partners, and the constant comparison between Grubby in 2005-06 and the current Grubby.

Supports the use of 1.21 in ESWC Masters

Grubby's team mate Lucifer was very disappointed ESWC did not use the latest patch for the tournament, but Grubby says he understand's the decision.
- It was so short notice for them and if anything else goes wrong the whole event could be ruined and it's not worth the risk, says Grubby.
- I think the worst part is that people can't really watch replays from the event. As a player of course I would have liked to play with the new patch, but it's okay, says Grubby.

His overall impressions of the new patch are positive. He is very happy with the nerf of the Orb of Venom, the tower nerf, the Human and Night Elf staff nerf, but he questions the Knight upgrade.
- They were used sometimes on LT against Human, a lot against Undead and in mirror, but I didn't think Human needs to be better against Undead, says Grubby.

- I think they had a very good role already in the game, and no one was really complaining that Knights should be stronger or that Human should have more alternatives. They already have a lot of different strats, says Grubby.

Human vs. Orc not switched sides, means Grubby

Grubby does not agree that the Human versus Orc match-up favors Orc now, as he explains that the tower nerf only changed one significant thing.
- It removes the Human's capability to leave their base without defending it at all with their main army and just relying on their towers for defense. Orc can't do that either, says Grubby.

He would also have liked to see the Orb of Venom getting a little bit more nerf, and he would have liked to see Steamtanks giving a bit more experience. Overall he seems pretty satisfied - if it's not the last.
- I think it's a very satisfactory patch, but if it is the last maybe a few things were missing out.

"I'm a better now - but so is everyone else"

The interviewer asks Grubby about if he thinks he has reached the skill peak he had back in 2005, and Grubby responds that he was winning more back then, but that if he would compare himself now and then, he thinks he is a better player now.
- In those years I often won strategically. Then I thought, oh, they're quite stupid-- no, not stupid, but they were doing things like which I know this is wrong. Now it's a lot harder. It's been the same patch for a long time - so a wrong strategy choice is much more obvious for everybody already. And the game got more standardized. It's a lot of little things that matter now. Before you could go Tauren/Shaman and they would be doing it all wrong. I think I'm a better player now - but so is everyone else, explains Grubby.

"I need to show more consistency"

Grubby goes on and explains that he feels that he has proven himself able to defeat the top players, after World Wide Invitational. But he thinks that he need to show some more consistency, and wonders if it's his physical shape that might be the bad crook.
- I get tired and I don't play as focused. Dunno really what, maybe I need to do more physical exercise - healthy body - healthy mind, he says.

The interviewer suggests picking up tennis or golf like FPS star Fatal1ty has done, and Grubby says he has not been practicing any sport for years, and that it probably takes out its toll. He also mentions that combat class would be nice.

Combat class or no combat class, count Grubby in as one of the top players to beat in the ESWC Grand Final, as he is already qualified via his national qualifier.