Pacific FC begin this season, like all other teams, with a clean slate. After a promising start in 2023, a treacherous end followed that saw the Tridents win just four of their final 14 regular season matches.
James Merriman’s side were sailing through the first half of the season, leading the league with two games in hand at the start of July. But after a poor run of form, Pacific found themselves out of the title race and instead in the hunt for play-off soccer.
The Tridents made the playoffs and performed well, defeating both York United and Halifax Wanderers FC before falling to Cavalry FC one step before the finals.
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 have lost quite a few major contributors for 2024, including perhaps their two most important players in Aparicio and Didić. Four members of the starting XI in their last playoff game have moved on, including the aforementioned two as well as Kekuta Manneh and Easton Ongaro.
Still, the Tridents have brought in plenty of talent; Tircoveanu arrives as a highly-touted attack-minded midfielder who should provide a lot of quality, perhaps in a similar role to Aparicio. Frenchman Aly Ndom is expected to play a key role at the back, and Reon Moore might be the everyday starter at the number nine position, having shown he can score at a good level recently with the Trinidad and Tobago national team.
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.
PROJECTED STARTING XI
(4-2-3-1): Emil Gazdov; Kunle Dada-Luke, Aly Ndom, Thomas Meilleur-Giguère, Georges Mukumbilwa; Cédric Toussaint, Sean Young; Josh Heard, Andrei Tircoveanu, Ayman Sellouf; Reon Moore
Pacific’s exact formation shuffled around a little in 2023, although James Merriman often preferred a 4-3-3; this year, with Tircoveanu likely to be more of an out-and-out number 10, he might slot in ahead of a double pivot with hard-working returnees Sean Young and Cédric Toussaint.
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