FRISCO - If the first few days are any indication, new midfield acquisition Kyle Bekker is going to enjoy life with FC Dallas just fine.
With unseasonably warm weather greeting him through the first week of training and a chat with head coach Oscar Pareja under his belt, Bekker said he couldn’t be more excited to be with his new club.
“At first I was a little bit caught off guard [about the trade], but yesterday the second I talked to Oscar I was buzzing about it and I couldn’t wait to get down here,” Bekker said after training on Wednesday. “I think it’s something that will be good for me and obviously I enjoyed my time in Toronto, but it was time for something new and this is a great situation.”
Bekker comes to FC Dallas after playing 20 games with Toronto FC last season as a two-way midfielder who should become a fan favorite at Toyota Stadium. He certainly remembers his experience here last year playing 90 minutes in a 2-1 TFC loss to FCD.
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“[FC Dallas] has always been a team that’s in playoff contention and I think we can go far this year,” said Bekker. “I remember coming here last year and it was an awesome stadium with awesome fans, so I’m happy to be a part of it.”
Bekker brings a unique experience from last season playing alongside U.S. Men’s National Team midfielder Michael Bradley, and there are certainly a few pointers he has gained that will help him up his game to a new level with FC Dallas.
“Just his professionalism and the way he wants to win,” Bekker said about the things he noticed with Bradley. “The guy is so competitive and his work rate and everything he does every single day, day in day out coming in early and staying late. It’s just all that stuff for a young guy to see a guy of his caliber doing it. It’s definitely impressive."
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Of course, when Oscar Pareja tells you he worked hard to bring you in, that’s about all the motivation needed to up your standard.
“It was just the passion in the way [Oscar] was talking about bringing me here,” said Bekker. “It got me excited and put some confidence back in myself. He said he thought I’d be a good fit with a young group mixed with some older guys who have done well in this league, so I’m very excited about the situation.”
