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Kyle Bekker at Crystal Palace


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Kyle Bekker of Sigma FC, who recently finished his collegiate career at Boston College is currently training at Crystal Palace of The Championship in England. Crystal Palace scouted Bekker at the Sigma FC ID camps last summer and has been following his progress for some time. Bekker will be involved in some other opportunities overseas after the holidays, in addition to the interest he has garnered with MLS clubs leading up to the Draft.

Also, teammate Emery Welshman, who had a great season at Oregon State earning All-Pac 12 First Team and tying for the scoring lead in the conference, was invited to train at Seattle Sounders next week in the lead up to the MLS Draft.

In other news, left-sided winger Jarrett Hamilton recently returned from the FC Edmonton combine, where he had a strong camp and impressed the team staff.

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Bekker looks like he could pan out to be a pretty decent player.

Check this free kick at 1:15.

Also this goal on a great play and ridiculous finesse shot.

Nice. We have a huge need for someone on the senior national team who can shoot like that on a consistent basis and pick us up some goals out of nothing. Obviously hard to tell from some video highlights whether he does this regularly or these are one offs but looks promising.

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History has shown that Canadian players in the English Championship gets us no where. Like what Keegan said, I hope he starts off with MLS.

At least his development started elsewhere though. Choosing USA Collegiate appeared to be a better option than what happened to guys like Cordon this year. As for starting in the Championship vs starting in the MLS, I assume you are referring to guys like Peters, but I think other guys like Edgar are doing, well, okay.

We need more guys in BOTH, honestly, to be able to see which would develop our guys more. I definitely worry about guys like Ethan Gage too, but Bekker is a little past that developmentally, it could be they are picking him up as a guy that they ALREADY feel can play for them, not to stuff him into reserve/youth teams. That's what I'd be hopeful for here.

The X-Factor? If Crystal Palace continues their form and promotes this year, that would probably be BAD for Bekker, as CP's focus would change.

I say I don't mind him trying out Crystal Palace and seeing what develops!

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At least his development started elsewhere though. Choosing USA Collegiate appeared to be a better option than what happened to guys like Cordon this year. As for starting in the Championship vs starting in the MLS, I assume you are referring to guys like Peters, but I think other guys like Edgar are doing, well, okay.

We need more guys in BOTH, honestly, to be able to see which would develop our guys more. I definitely worry about guys like Ethan Gage too, but Bekker is a little past that developmentally, it could be they are picking him up as a guy that they ALREADY feel can play for them, not to stuff him into reserve/youth teams. That's what I'd be hopeful for here.

The X-Factor? If Crystal Palace continues their form and promotes this year, that would probably be BAD for Bekker, as CP's focus would change.

I say I don't mind him trying out Crystal Palace and seeing what develops!

Even with everything you say, it's just going to come down to money in the end. A Crystal Palace starting salary will probably be more attractive than a MLS one. If he goes to Palace and hits the ground running, Bekker would be in a good situation. If not, he should try to get a loan deal with an MLS side. I'm wondering why MLS sides don't do this more with young North American talent overseas. I think Cavallini would look good in a TFC uniform for the 2013 season.

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Even with everything you say, it's just going to come down to money in the end. A Crystal Palace starting salary will probably be more attractive than a MLS one. If he goes to Palace and hits the ground running, Bekker would be in a good situation. If not, he should try to get a loan deal with an MLS side. I'm wondering why MLS sides don't do this more with young North American talent overseas. I think Cavallini would look good in a TFC uniform for the 2013 season.

That is true. My worry is that most of the players that end up bouncing from a league of the Championship quality don't exactly come over here and become superstars usually. I'm not referring simply to Canadians, just in general. It has probably as much to do with the playing style, though, as anything, so coming from a predominantly North American background, Bekker would of course likely adjust very well to MLS style if Crystal Palace doesn't pan out. I think a loan situation would be ideal, but I think the reason more MLS clubs don't do this is simply that the Euro clubs are hesitant to allow players to develop in an MLS situation, where that style of play IS so different, that the loan wouldn't necessarily help them once/if they were to come back to Europe.

As for Cavallini I agree.

It's a very tough call to make overall, where to develop players. I still maintain that a lot of success for Canada on an international level might come from our guys having more familiarity with one another, so having them scattered all over different leagues, where getting together for friendlies is difficult, may not be ideal.

It would be awesome to see a team like TFC or that develop a WINNING Canadian content side.

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If not, he should try to get a loan deal with an MLS side. I'm wondering why MLS sides don't do this more with young North American talent overseas. I think Cavallini would look good in a TFC uniform for the 2013 season.

Probably because their seasons overlap and it would be a huge pain in the ass to negotiate the terms and length of the loans where it would benefit both sides. It's probably about a million times easier for a Championship side to either loan a player out to a lower team in the table or League One where if they need to recall them, they can be back the same day. Conversely this might be why we see players from Central and South America on loan here more often, because they play Apertura and Clausura seasons, where it fits better with the MLS schedule.

With this in mind, bringing Cavellini here on loan, or Fresenga too would make more sense.

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I think a loan situation would be ideal, but I think the reason more MLS clubs don't do this is simply that the Euro clubs are hesitant to allow players to develop in an MLS situation, where that style of play IS so different, that the loan wouldn't necessarily help them once/if they were to come back to Europe.

As for Cavallini I agree.

It's a very tough call to make overall, where to develop players. I still maintain that a lot of success for Canada on an international level might come from our guys having more familiarity with one another, so having them scattered all over different leagues, where getting together for friendlies is difficult, may not be ideal.

It would be awesome to see a team like TFC or that develop a WINNING Canadian content side.

I think that's true for Championship and Prem players as the style of play is different. However, I think young players from France and Germany would benefit from MLS' style of play. However, there are only a handful so it's really a moot point. I also agree with your sentiment on TFC.

I say let Cavellini develop in Uruguay. If after his loan he goes back to Nacional and starts playing, that would be amazing!

Nacional > TFC imo

Sure, if he starts playing, it's all good.

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I think that's true for Championship and Prem players as the style of play is different. However, I think young players from France and Germany would benefit from MLS' style of play. However, there are only a handful so it's really a moot point. I also agree with your sentiment on TFC.

Sure, if he starts playing, it's all good.

I wouldn't argue with that

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Good on Bekker...really like this player. Shows he has the qualities to play at a very good level.

And yes the money and prestige (yes the Championship is seen as a higher level to MLS over there) would be better than with an MLS club. But there is more to it i think. Clubs from overseas can come and swoop up a free agent like Bekker rather quickly if they like the player. The clubs control the process. Look at the process with MLS which takes an eternity from interest to signing with the league calling the shots. He trained with the Sounders, Montreal etc and lets assume there is good interest from both club and player to sign. If they want to sign player, they needed to find a way to get him out of school early or have to wait for the draft and hope he is available with their pick, then hope league agrees with them and can come to terms with player etc etc etc. Just too long and complicated. Nonetheless glad Bekker has options with both and wish him well, and soon with MNT.

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I spoke to Sigma coaches who told me Crystal Palace is not looking at Bekker as someone who can develop but as someone who would be able to play for them now. He has been training with the first team during his time there. They said early indications and feedback have been very positive and he has fit right in to the level of play due mostly to his technical ability, vision and distribution. However, they cautioned to me that a possible permanent move would be difficult as a result of attaining a work permit.

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I spoke to Sigma coaches who told me Crystal Palace is not looking at Bekker as someone who can develop but as someone who would be able to play for them now. He has been training with the first team during his time there. They said early indications and feedback have been very positive and he has fit right in to the level of play due mostly to his technical ability, vision and distribution. However, they cautioned to me that a possible permanent move would be difficult as a result of attaining a work permit.

It's quite easy to obtain a Dutch passport if you have any 2nd or 3rd generation connection to the Netherlands. I would assume he does and I'm a little surprised he hasn't done this already if he wants to play in Europe.

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It's quite easy to obtain a Dutch passport if you have any 2nd or 3rd generation connection to the Netherlands. I would assume he does and I'm a little surprised he hasn't done this already if he wants to play in Europe.

If I'm not mistaken, to obtain a Dutch passport you need to scrap your old one (look at the situation of JDG2).

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No. I know three people who have gotten one in the last 5 years. All born in Canada, with Dutch parents. It's possible that JD2 is different because he's not ethnically Dutch.

What he said. I got mine through my dad being born there. didn't have to throw away my Canadian passport.

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