Pacific FC begin this season, like all other teams, with a clean slate. After a high-flying start in 2023 which saw the Tridents lead the league for long stretches of the season, they finished the season in fourth, requiring them to run the gauntlet in the playoffs.
The Tridents made the playoffs and performed well, first defeating York United at home mid-week before flying across the country to knock Halifax Wanderers FC out of the play offs in front of their home crowd. The impressive playoff run ended in Calgary in a hard-fought semi-final against Cavalry FC.
READ MORE: 6 questions ahead of Pacific FC’s 2024 season
Story of 2023
- 2023 CPL regular season record (W-D-L): 11-7-10 (40 pts, 4th place)
- Goals scored: 42
- Goals against: 35
- Goal difference: +7
- Top scorer: Ayman Sellouf (7)
- Canadian Championship: Lost to Vancouver Whitecaps in semifinals
ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES
Players in: |
Players out: |
| GK – Sean Melvin | GK – Kieran Baskett |
| DF – Christian Greco-Taylor | DF – Amer Didić |
| MF – Aly Ndom | DF – Jalen Watson |
| MF – Andrei Tircoveanu | DF – Bradley Vliet |
| FW – Reon Moore | MF – Manny Aparicio |
| FW – Dario Zanatta | FW – David Brazão |
| FW – Abdul Binate | |
| FW – Djenairo Daniels | |
| FW – Easton Ongaro | |
| FW – Kekuta Manneh |
Pacific has seen some squad changes in the off-season with plenty of new blood joining the squad; Andrei Tircoveanu arrives as a highly-touted attack-minded midfielder who should provide a lot of quality. Frenchman Aly Ndom is expected to play a key role at the back, while Dario Zanatta and Reon Moore will bring the firepower to the front line in a Pacific squad that could be very dangerous having a striker reliably scoring goals. Moore will come into the season with big expectations, having shown he can score at a good level recently with the Trinidad and Tobago national team. Canadians Melvin and Greco-Taylor will look to bring some competition into the stable PFC defence.
Coach’s Profile
A Vancouver Island native himself, James Merriman is as ‘day one’ as the phrase gets. One of Pacific FC’s first-ever employees, the 38-year-old signed on before their first-ever manager, Michael Silberbauer, was even introduced.
Now, the third manager in the club’s short history, Merriman gets to look forward to another three years at least with his hometown club after signing a contract extension this past July.
As head coach of the Tridents, Merriman has an all-time CPL regular season record of 24-14-18.
ROSTER NOTES
Domestic U-21 |
Internationals |
Loaned In |
| Paul Amedume | Reon Moore | N/A |
| Emil Gazdov | Aly Ndom | |
| Christian Greco-Taylor | Ayman Sellouf | |
| Andrei Tircoveanu |
MORE READING
- ‘It’s like I’ve always been here’: Trevor Stiles bringing diverse career experiences to Pacific FC coaching staff
- ‘He’s consistently scored goals’: Pacific FC sign Trinidad & Tobago international striker Reon Moore
- ‘We wanted more experience’: Pacific FC’s James Merriman on the club’s off-season thus far
- Pacific FC unveil 2024 alternate kit: ‘The Resilience Kit’
- WATCH: Ayman Sellouf’s most dazzling moments in 2023