![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/SeanPollock_TorontoFCvsAustinFC_2026-04-18_1128-scaled-e1776724569911-904x508.jpg\")
Courtesy: Sean Pollock\/Waking The Red<\/p>\nEvery team needs versatile players who can play multiple positions effectively whenever called upon \u2014 even more so when there is an injury crisis in the group. That is what Toronto FC is facing at the moment, and that player for them of late has been Derrick Etienne Jr. <\/p>\n
Now in his 11th Major League Soccer season after developing in the Red Bull New York academy, Etienne Jr has been a solid forward in the league for a long time, and with Toronto has grown into a role that Robin Fraser can rely on. Even if Etienne Jr isn\u2019t starting every match, his head coach knows that he can be trusted to come in and do his job. <\/p>\n
Against Atlanta United on Saturday, Etienne Jr came off the bench in the first half to take over on the right wing against the club that traded him to Toronto. Emilio Aristiz\u00e1bal had started there, but was forced to play a central attacking midfield role when Jose Cifuentes left the match with a knee injury. Etienne Jr played most of the match on that side of the pitch, before switching to the left when Malik Henry replaced Aristiz\u00e1bal in the second half, spending some time centrally as well, alternating with Daniel Salloi. <\/p>\n
Etienne Jr started the season at striker, scoring in Toronto FC\u2019s season opener against FC Dallas, but vacated that spot when Josh Sargent arrived. <\/p>\n
\u201cDerrick is a player that I like a lot, mostly because he\u2019s a really intelligent, experienced player, and when you ask him to do a job, he does it,\u201d Fraser said after Saturday\u2019s match. \u201c[He] plays on the right, plays on the left, he started the year for us as a nine, and Derrick is the kind of person that I feel like I can rely upon him to do whatever is asked of him. <\/p>\n
\u201cI think that\u2019s really important that you have guys that, whether in a starting role or off the bench, that if you ask something of them, they get it done. <\/p>\n
Courtesy: Sean Pollock\/Waking The Red<\/p>\n
Etienne Jr has been on Fraser\u2019s radar since both were at the Red Bulls together \u2014 Fraser as an assistant coach and Etienne Jr as an academy player. Both have come a long way since then, including the Haiti international potentially being off to the World Cup this summer for the nation\u2019s first appearance since 1974. <\/p>\n
If it was up to the TFC boss, Etienne Jr would get the call. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve known Derrick since he was probably, I don\u2019t know, 14, 15 at New York Red Bulls,\u201d Fraser added. \u201cIt\u2019s been interesting and I won\u2019t say gratifying, but watching his career, he\u2019s turned himself into a reliable, good, solid professional, and now he\u2019s going to a World Cup, or I think he\u2019s going to a World Cup, so it\u2019s a really great thing for him.\u201d<\/p>\n