Asked if Hackney’s bit-part role has come as a surprise, given how quickly his stock had risen at Middlesbrough, Beckford – who was speaking in association with FreeBets, home of the best UK betting sites – told GOAL: “Yes and no. Yes, because of what he’s been able to achieve last season. The trajectory that he’s on is a phenomenal one. He’s got so much talent and a huge future ahead of him as long as he stays fit and keeps on learning and keeps on growing.
“But secondly, no, it doesn’t surprise me that much because the step up from League One to the Championship to the Premier League is massive. At a club like Everton as well, where there’s a specific DNA, you’ve got to learn and understand what that is first and foremost before you’ll be able to just get thrown in the deep end.
“Having worked with the gaffer before, David Moyes, he wants to make sure that you understand the plan first. Whether you’re going to play one game, five games or all of the games, he wants you to understand that first and foremost you graft harder than anybody else. You do what we tell you, stay disciplined and then you get the freedom to do what you want to do.
“It wouldn’t surprise me if after 10, 12, 15 games we start seeing far more of him and then he starts to become a bit more of a regular. But it’s all about understanding the roles and understanding the expectations first.”