Despite the absence of Toronto FC’s most prized assets due to injury—Jermain Defoe and Michael Bradley—BMO Field was at capacity last weekend and in full voice.
A gritty performance by a first team made up mostly of fringe players held their own over 90 minutes and was hard done by not to secure a split of the points, losing 1-0 to the Colorado Rapids. One of the best performances for TFC came from Kyle Bekker, the Oakville native being given the enormous responsibility of temporarily filling Bradley’s shoes and pulling the strings in the heart of midfield.
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After a tremulous rookie season, Bekker has his sights on moving up the depth chart this year and solidifying a regular place on Nelsen’s starting 11. What was evident against the Rapids was the slender midfielder’s immense quality from dead-ball situations, and had it not been for the absence of a little luck, Bekker could have single-handedly won the game from two sublime free kicks.
Coach Ryan Nelsen was extremely complimentary in his assessment of the sophomore midfielder’s overall performance: “I thought he was brilliant and one of our standout players. Most of the positioning and attack started through him.”
Having only managed to make nine appearances for the Reds last season, Bekker, a first round pick in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft, has earned two consecutive starts and is eager to capitalize on the opportunity made available.
“I want to keep building on each performance by keeping my passing tight and winning tackles,” he said.
It’s evident that Bekker is being groomed into the Bradley role, considering their styles are somewhat similar in nature. The young Canadian has credited his American teammate of teaching by example.
“It’s the little stuff that you might not see on camera, his work rate makes a big difference. Any player can learn a lot from Michael, especially for me in midfield,” Bekker said.
From a developmental standpoint, Bekker, a Boston College alumnus, is a little rough around the edges and in need of some fine tuning. However, the necessary raw attributes are present, as is the proper mindset to maximize his full potential. In his first year in college, Bekker was the only Eagles player to start every match, and earned ACC All-Freshman Team honours. He also was named to the All-ACC First Team in back-to-back seasons (2011 and 2012), and ranks second all-time in assists at Boston College.
It’s no secret that Bekker has an extremely cultured left-foot, a talent that Nelsen is hoping to harness and cultivate even further. Whether he is aiming directly for goal or targeting one of his teammates from a set-piece—Bekker took all nine of Toronto’s corner kicks last weekend—his ability to strike the ball is by far a huge asset to the team.
That being said, his defensive game needs some work. The jump from the collegiate level to the pros is steep and usually provides a major hurdle for draftees into the league. Positioning comes with experience—on and off the ball—as does the confidence of believing in your abilities. It was fairly obvious last term that Bekker struggled with both.
“Moving off the ball, and not getting worried when I’m in possession,” Bekker explained. “Any rookie season will have its ups and downs, it’s great to get that out of the way, and now I can just focus on the team.”
He is definitely moving in the right direction to overcome his admitted weaknesses, which was evident in his latest performance, and something Nelsen made a point to reference in his post-match comments. “Kyle did a lot on the opposite side of the ball, something he has brought into his game which shows the level of maturity that we’ve been hoping to see, and developed through all his hard work.”
Nelsen’s words are recognition of the tireless work put in by Bekker on the training pitch.
A four-time Ontario Cup winner—twice as a member of the Oakville Bluestars and Mississauga Dixie Dominators respectively—Bekker also added a national title to his soccer resume before moving to the Sigma Elite Training Centre ahead of his collegiate career. He was even invited to train with Ajax’s prestigious youth academy in 2008.
On the international front, Bekker made his debut at age 15 with the Canadian national youth program, and was a member of the under-23 team during the 2012 CONCACAF Men’s Olympic qualifying tournament. He has earned eight caps with the senior team to date, and will be a key component in Canadian manager Benito Flores’ plans to overhaul the national side.
Lofty expectations are the unfortunate consequence of being a top-three MLS draft pick. You either embrace the responsibility or succumb to the undeniable pressure.
After speaking with him firsthand, and getting a small glimpse into his character—genuine, motivated and hard-working—it’s clear that Bekker has the right mentality necessary to be a success in MLS.
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