Thriving in Geylang: Vincent Bezecourt finds success with new midfield role and team support

Injuries at Geylang International this season have forced attacking midfielder Vincent Bezecourt to adjust to a deeper position on the field.

But not only has the Frenchman flourished in his new role, he has also continued with goal contributions.

Even though his attacking instincts have to be curbed now, Bezecourt has chalked up five goals and nine assists in 12 Singapore Premier League (SPL) appearances.

The 31-year-old, who stepped into the central midfield role after Huzaifah Aziz suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in May, said the team’s recruitment and the freedom he was given to express himself are the key reasons behind his performances.

“I knew that I could step into (Huzaifah’s) position with the off-season that we had,” Bezecourt told The Straits Times ahead of the third-placed Eagles’ Aug 24 clash against Brunei DPMM at Jalan Besar Stadium.

“Because we made a few very good signings with (attacking midfielder) Ryoya Taniguchi and (striker) Tomoyuki Doi, and we’re going to be dangerous even if I stepped into a deeper role. 

“Coach (Noor Ali) is still trying to give me a lot of freedom even in this position. It’s up to me to analyse the situations in the game, and to see whether it’s a good time to drive forward. It takes more discipline to play deeper.”

Bezecourt also credited midfield partner Takahiro Tezuka, who “dictates the games for us”. He added: “(Tezuka) just tells me to find the right spaces and then drive the team forward.”

Noor Ali explained that while their versatile captain Joshua Pereira could also play in midfield, injuries elsewhere meant that Pereira had to slot in as fullback. That made Bezecourt, who has also played in central midfield with Major League Soccer side New York Red Bulls, the best option for the position.

The 49-year-old coach said: “It’s quite a different role for him but we know what quality he has. He might not be contributing to most of the goals like last season at this point in time, but he has helped the team to get good results. 

“He might not be strong defensively, but he defends smartly especially playing in the role… and he’s been very consistent in terms of his performance.”

With Bezecourt thriving this season, it might be hard to tell that he had returned from a long lay-off after tearing an anterior cruciate ligament in July 2023, and there were concerns he could not play at the highest level again.

Admitting that he was “pleasantly surprised” by what has transpired this season, he said: “Once you reach a certain age, you’ll have some doubts, and feel you won’t be as good or as athletic.”

But those fears were allayed after a strong start to the season, and Bezecourt believes he and his team must continue improving.