BERMUDA'S latest MLS signing Kilian Elkinson is clearly seeking to keep his feet on the ground after being taken on by Toronto FC. Reflecting on his first training sessions the 18-year-old left back who played for PHC and North Village at youth level, is clearly thrilled to be among the pros.

But he knows he has a long hard road ahead if he is going to make it into the first team. Asked about his ambitions after signing a developmental contract with the Canadian outfit two weeks ago he told the Mid-Ocean News: "My goal is to just improve, do the best I can."

Elkinson gives a similar cautious response about his own team's prospects this season. Toronto lost the first two games on the road to Columbus Crew and DC United but then picked up a 3-2 win at David Beckham's Los Angeles Galaxy before beating Real Salt Lake with a neatly-worked Lorent Robert free-kick in front of 20,000 raucous home fans at the new BMO stadium.

And it's at that state-of-the-art venue that Elkinson has been training alongside pros including the French international Robert who has played for some of Europe's biggest clubs including Newcastle United, Benfica, and Paris Saint Germain. At Newcastle Robert played under current Toronto FC head coach John Carver who was assistant to manager Sir Bobby Robson.

Elkinson, who describes Carver as knowledgeable and demanding, said: "Training is a really great experience playing with all the internationals and top professionals. They rub off on you and you learn a lot from them.

"Everything is 100 percent, everyone is concentrating and giving it their all. They are all tricky, some are powerful and fast and some are good with the ball."

Elkinson knows the pressure is on as people run a critical eye over him. "But if you don't like pressure you shouldn't really be there. It's really good experience, it's a big enough accomplishment making it in the first place."

The BMO stadium, used by the Canadian national team, features the same artificial turf Elkinson has been used to at his high school.

"All the facilities are top class, they have everything," he said. Elkinson, who expects to start in the reserves, is keen to build up his strength to enable him to play at the same tempo as the other players.

Elkinson, who played for Warwick Academy and Saltus but left for further studies in Canada in 2005, was born in Bermuda and has spent most of his life here but is not yet eligible to play for the national side.

"I am eligible to play for the Republic of Ireland and Australia although I don't know how realistic that is. It is apparently possible to play for Canada at some stage, I am not sure 100 percent. But Bermuda is an option." But right now club football is getting his sole attention. Toronto are in the same division as Khano Smith's New England Revolution.

Asked if the pair had every faced each other in Bermuda, Elkinson said he recalls playing years ago at North Village field in a friendly match arranged for then British Prime Minister Tony Blair involving Elkinson's father's Sunday morning team Equalisers and Dandy Town who Smith was with at the time.

"Tony Blair played ¿ he had some good touches. He was better than most people thought he would be," he said.

Meanwhile Smith told website MLSnet.com. this week that he hopes to gravitate to a leadership role at the Revs and provide a good example for his teammates.

"It's important for the team's sake," Smith said. "We have lots of leadership on this team. I want to get into a groove and set an example for the younger players."

Smith cited his experience with the Bermuda national team as a proving ground for the increased responsibility he faces with his club side.

"It's been the same thing when I'm with Bermuda. I'm one of the more experienced players in the team," Smith said. "We have one guy playing indoors and a bunch of guys in the USL."