Left back has been a funny spot for NYCFC in their relatively brief existence.
When I go through each position on the field in my mind, a clear 'greatest of all time' in NYCFC colors emerges pretty quickly. Center backs have to be Maxime Chanot and Alex Callens, goalkeeper has to be Sean Johnson, and further up the pitch players like Maxi Moralez and Taty Castellanos stick out as all-time greats. Even at right fullback, Anton Tinnerholm’s dominant prime just separates itself from the rest.
But when I think of the best left backs to ever wear our beautiful Bronx blue … I don’t know who I picture to be honest.
Photos via MLS, Malte Amundsen, and NYCFC
We had Ronald Matarrita running the left flank for a few years, but my mind goes to that tackle in the 2019 playoffs more than anything else. Then there’s Malte Amundsen, who just lifted MLS Cup with Columbus Crew, but I’d argue he had a greater impact under the tutelage of Wilfried Nancy than he did under Ronny Deila or Nick Cushing.
Other than that? Gudi Thórarinsson scored a sweet free kick that one time, and Angeliño was a boatload of fun for all of about 15 games back in 2015. Do y’all remember Ben Sweat?
I guess my point is that no one has really stepped up and made that left back spot their own in the way we’ve seen players lock down other positions on the pitch. And currently, we only have one senior left back on the roster to potentially fill that void going forward: Kevin O’Toole.
While previous searches for left back stability have taken us from Argentina to Iceland, O'Toole has been plucked from just over the Hudson River.
Photo via NYCFC
Kevin's route to the NYCFC first team is unlike anyone else’s on the squad. He’s local, but not technically a homegrown. He played academy, but not NYCFC’s academy. He’s a left back, but he’s really more of an attacker at heart. And, while he’s rode the bench for large portions of his career, he’s started pretty much every must-win game since his rookie season.
To learn a bit more about O'Toole's unique path, I sat down with him via Zoom to chat through his soccer roots, his journey through the academy and college game, his time at NYCFC so far, and his goals for the future.
*please note that interview quotes have been edited for clarity
Soccer Roots: The Montclair Soccer Scene
Montclair is a classic New Jersey suburban town, and one that has a little bit of everything. It’s got a train station that takes you straight into manhattan in about 45 minutes, it’s home of Montclair State University, and it’s full of great restaurants and an underrated downtown in my opinion. Above all, it’s just a really great place to raise a family.
“My home growing up was on a cul-de-sac”, Kevin explained, “we had a lot of kids nearby, so we played a lot of street sports with them. Soccer was the one that stuck.”
Photo via Homes.com
“Montclair was a really good place for young soccer players” he continued, “Brookdale Park is a place that I grew up playing - just the local park down the street. As soon as I was age eligible, I enrolled in summer camps and just had a ball at my feet all the time.”
The one who put that ball at Kevin’s feet was his mother, Nancy O’Toole. She was a college soccer player herself, having played at William and Mary. “My mom was definitely the biggest influence in getting me and my siblings into the sport”, stated O’Toole, “I think it’s her influence that pushed me in the sport and kept me in the sport as I was growing up with it”.
Before long, Kevin was playing for his hometown club at Montclair United. And while it may not have been quite the same experience as the first-class MLS academies we often see today, the level was good.
“We had really solid team in Montclair”, Kevin said, “we were coached by Kieran Patrick for most of those years, and he just had a really great soccer philosophy … he wanted us to play a good possession style of soccer and get lots of touches on the ball.”
But it wasn’t just the style of play at Montclair United that helped O’Toole develop his game, it was the level of competition as well. From a young age, Kevin and his Montclair United teammates found themselves playing up a few age groups.
Photo Via Kevin O'Toole on Instagram
“We kind of got battered by everyone” Kevin joked, recalling it being frustrating at times after some tough matches, “but we had a really great friend group within the team … as long as we were playing together and enjoying it, then going back and hanging out after games, it wasn’t a big deal … I think we saw the merits of it in the long run.”
A few years later, Kevin went on to join Soccer Domain Football Club. SDFC (as they’re known) are among the elite youth soccer organizations in New Jersey, marking a step up from the already-talented Montclair United side he’d been representing. Here, he joined forces with another future MLS-er in CF Montreal’s Mason Toye, and continued to take his game to new levels.
The Next Step: Red Bull Academy
Once Kevin got to high school, another opportunity presented itself by way of the New York Red Bull’s academy. After a season of playing some varsity minutes, but largely playing with the freshman squad at Montclair High School, Kevin decided to take his talents to the MLS academy and make the ultimate leap - the one that takes you away from your high school team, many of your soccer friends, and into one of the most competitive environments you can face in youth sports.
“It was probably the biggest adjustment of my career” claimed O’Toole, “We had really strong teams at Montclair United and SDFC, and I felt really comfortable in that environment. I had my friends around … I felt like I had a solid grip on the level of play and my position in that team was very secure. So, it was a very comfortable spot for me.”
Photo via Kevin O'Toole on Instagram
“Going to Red Bull felt like a very cutthroat environment at first, because these are guys that have been playing at the highest levels of their age group … I remember going to tryouts and being incredibly nervous to be on the ball - I thought every mistake was under a microscope, not just by my coaches, but by my teammates as well.”
“There were definitely moments where I just wanted to go back to my local club and just enjoy my days playing there. But, I knew it was the right jump for my career, and I had my parents to keep me in it and push me along.”
And push along Kevin did, integrating himself further and further into the Red Bull youth ranks, and buying into the rigorous lifestyle of juggling a high school and an MLS academy schedule. Training Monday-Thursday from 8-10pm, with a game every weekend, and with the occasional showcase to attend across the country, the time commitment and physical exertion was no joke.
But, there’s a reason why these ultra-talented kids put in the work from such a young age: they want to play at a high-level college, or sometimes, even look to play professionally. In Kevin’s case, it was both.
The College Game: Princeton University
“I think being in the Red Bull environment kind of opened my eyes to the possibility of playing professionally before going to college, and I ended up doing that.” Kevin explained, “I played with the Red Bull second team on an amateur contract, so I retained my college eligibility, but was able to get pro minutes. That’s kind of when I made it a mission to play professionally after college.”
But before Kevin could chase that professional dream, he had another goal to fulfill.
“I always felt like it was a value that was instilled by my parents: you’ll go to college, get a degree, and you can do what you want from there”, O’Toole explained.
Photo via Princeton Athletics
Kevin recalled, “The way I got on Princeton’s radar was because my mom was like, best friends with Julie Shackford, who was the Women’s coach of Princeton at the time - they played at William and Marry together” He continued, “I loved the campus, and just thought it was a great environment to learn at, and to play soccer at.”
From there, O’Toole committed to Princeton University his Junior year of high school, and found his footballing home of the next four years.
On the field at Princeton, O’Toole hit the ground running, starting 12 matches his freshman year and logging over 1,000 minutes. Rather than his play at left wing back that we’ve seen at NYCFC, Kevin found himself in different areas of the pitch in his college days.
“I was playing attacking positions in college” Kevin explained, “I ended up playing my freshman year at the ten, and then my sophomore and junior year as a right winger. And then my senior year, I kind of played a false nine role.”
O’Toole made the most of these higher starting positions, logging an impressive 15 goals and 18 assists over the course of his 59 collegiate appearances for the Tigers. This run included an impressive 2018 campaign which saw him named Ivy League Offensive Player of the Season, and take home the Ivy League title with his fellow Princeton teammates.
"I think the physical part of the game was probably the biggest thing I learned" Kevin said about what the college game taught him, "It helped me develop as more versatile player ... I think it kind of rounded out my game."
Photo Via Princeton Men's Soccer on X
This on-field success re-affirmed Kevin’s original goal: he wanted to play professionally. But after all, this is Princeton University we’re talking about…
“There’s a lot of distractions that can happen at a place like Princeton. It can deter you from going pro because there are so many opportunities - I guess the corporate world is always right at your fingertips.”
Kevin studied Public Policy and International Affairs during his time at the renowned university, and found a lot on his plate at times while handling an Ivy league class schedule alongside a dream of professional soccer. But, that came with the territory of being a student-athlete.
“You kind of feel out of place when you’re not working over the summers” Kevin claimed, “So I found a way to both work in the corporate world and play PDL with Red Bull.”
“I worked for a real estate firm in the city for two or three summers, just because it felt like a good opportunity to take advantage of” he continued, “So it was definitely a bit of a balance. But, I always knew I wanted to play professionally. It was kind of like not putting all my eggs in one basket, and making sure I was rounding out other parts of my life.”
The Professional Game: NYCFC
After such a strong college career, Kevin’s ultimate goal of playing professionally was fulfilled when he was drafted 34th overall in the 2022 MLS Superdraft by NYCFC.
But, as we’ve learned from other picks across this league, players drafted from the college game don’t always see consistent first team minutes at the top level. From an NYCFC-centric view, we’ve only really seen Khiry Shelton, Jack Harrison, and Luis Barraza lock down significant game time after playing in college.
So, it wasn’t a huge surprise when O’Toole started his debut season amongst the reserves. That was, of course, until his famous breakout in September, 2022, which saw him start back-to-back games in the Campeones Cup final midweek, and the Hudson River Derby that weekend.
Photo via NYCFC
His performances were solid, helping the Pigeons lift the newly-founded cup and beat their cross-river rivals. For Kevin, his strong play did enough to win the trust of the gaffer, Nick Cushing, as NYCFC barreled towards the MLS Cup Playoffs.
After hardly seeing any game time in his first seven months in sky blue, O’Toole found himself as first choice left back in the biggest games of his side’s season, going the full 90 in every remaining match of the 2022 campaign. This included all three playoff matches en route to the Eastern Conference Finals, where NYCFC’s season ultimately came to an end.
Interestingly, the following season followed a similar route for O’Toole, who found himself on the bench for large portions of NYCFC’s 2023 campaign after the signing of the Argentinian left back, Braian Cufré. But, much like we saw in the previous year, O’Toole roared back into the starting lineup right as crunch time rolled around, starting each of NYCFC’s last five games as the club desperately chased the playoff line in the Eastern Conference. That pursuit of post-season play was ultimately unsuccessful, but nonetheless points to a degree of faith held in O’Toole by Cushing and the organization as a whole.
That faith was demonstrated further this offseason when O’Toole signed a contract extension with NYCFC through 2025, with an option for 2026. With Cufré’s departure from the club, and with no clear left back signings through the door so far this January, all signs are pointing to even greater involvement from the Montclair native next season.
Looking Forward: Goals and Aspirations
With his newly-inked contract keeping him in New York for the time being, Kevin now has the opportunity to look forward once more. Just as he did as a kid from Montclair with dreams to play pro, O’Toole doesn’t shy away from setting high goals for himself.
“I would personally like to lock down that left back spot and make it mine for the next few years” Kevin declared, “The first years have been up-and-down in terms of playing time - I’m looking forward to going into preseason and making sure it’s mine.”
“Beyond that,” he continued, “contributing to the team’s success is the most important thing. If the team is doing well, then you kind of end up fulfilling all your individual goals anyway.”
Photo via NYCFC
So, the immediate goals for Kevin are simple enough: win the starting left back spot outright, and help his side win matches. His long term goals, however, reach even higher.
“I would love to get a national team call-up in my career. That’s something I’ve got my eye on, and I think its achievable.” Kevin explained, “I think it starts with having a really good season next year. If I can become the number one left back, then it can really open up some opportunities.”
“Beyond that, I think being part of the century club (playing 100 games for NYCFC) would be a huge honor. There are so many great names on that list, guys I played with in my first year, like Maxi Moralez, Taty Castellanos, Alex Callens, Maxime Chanot … I think just to be in the same conversation with those names, knowing how much they did for the club, would be a huge honor.”
Concluding Remarks:
After watching him play, hearing his story, and chatting with him face to face, what sticks out to me the most about Kevin O’Toole is his character. He’s clearly a super hard worker, yet he has this causal aura to him that I can’t quite put my finger on.
Maybe it’s because I’m also from a North Jersey suburb, but Kevin O’Toole kind of just reminds me of every regular guy I went to high school with. In a good way.
He’s pretty soft spoken, very polite, and seems happy enough to chat with the media after games. As a member of the press, sometimes I feel very aware that I’m talking to a professional athlete by their big personalities and overt confidence. But chatting with Kevin feels different. It almost feels more like talking to a co-worker or a neighbor - it's just a very low key and easy going experience.
Photo vis NYCFC
That is, I suppose, until you look at what he’s achieved to-date and listen to his goals for the future. This guy believes in himself and in his game in a big way. And why not? From a young age he’s set high goals for himself, taking one leap after another, and he freakin’ made it. If Kevin says he wants to reach the century mark for NYCFC, and one day wants to get the call-up to the USMNT, I can’t really help but think he’s got a chance.
So as this January window marches on, I’m sure questions will be raised as to what exactly NYCFC will do at that left back position. Rumors will likely swirl, and signings might even be made, but never count out Kevin O’Goat to fight for that spot and make it his own.
Personally, I have to say I'm pulling for him.