Pacific FC announced Thursday that Terry Dunfield has been named the fourth head coach in club history. His first match with the club will be Sunday, July 5 against the Halifax Wanderers.
Dunfield, a 44-year-old Vancouver native, has a wealth of experience both as a player and a coach. Most recently, he has been working with Canada Soccer’s youth national team programs, including the U-20 men’s team currently preparing for the Maurice Revello Tournament in France. He also spent several years as an academy and assistant coach with Toronto FC, leading the club’s first team on an interim basis for part of the 2023 season.
“Deep down I knew this was the right fit" said Dunfield. "I was really excited for the opportunity. That’s the starting point, right away I just really loved the fit.
“For the last decade, I’ve been really working hard for this type of opportunity, and to be able to be a head coach in B.C. is huge. I think the timing’s perfect, and it’s not just about Terry, I think it’s an opportunity to build on some pretty incredible history at Pacific. That’s one of the big things that excites me.”
As a player, Dunfield made 15 appearances for the Canadian men’s national team. His professional club career began with Manchester City, where he graduated from the academy and made a Premier League appearance in 2001.
Dunfield went on to play for several clubs in England over the course of his career, and also made an impact closer to home with the Vancouver Whitecaps and Toronto FC. He played 56 games for TFC and won the Canadian Championship in 2012, a season in which he was also named Toronto’s Player of the Year.
After retiring as a player, Dunfield moved into both the coaching and media spaces. He has previously featured on both OneSoccer and TSN as a colour commentator and studio analyst.
As coach of Pacific, Dunfield says he's committed to elevating the club back to the championship standard set in 2021. He identified a history of competing for trophies as well as a commitment to developing players through the academy as significant draws for him.
"I look at the squad and I think it’s a group of players just itching to be challenged and pushed, and I think it’s a really good group," he said. "The shot clock’s on us for sure this year, and I think just feeling that pressure to turn this around is going to be good for us.”
He added: "You’ve got proven winners in the group that need to be challenged, and clear that we’re going to unlock their potential and develop them. … We’ve seen on the Island that there’s a real pathway, it’s a hotbed for young players as well, so I think there’s a really nice formula to lean into."