Pacific FC is excited to confirm that Terry Dunfield will officially begin his tenure as Head Coach on Tuesday, July 7, marking the start of an exciting new chapter for the club.
After several weeks representing Canadian soccer on both the international stage and in the broadcast booth, Dunfield now turns his full attention to Pacific FC as he arrives on Vancouver Island to begin preparations for the second half of the Canadian Premier League season.
Since being announced as Pacific FC's next Head Coach in May, Dunfield has been immersed in the game. He served on the coaching staff of Canada's U-20 Men's National Team at the prestigious Maurice Revello Tournament in France before joining TSN's team of commentators for the FIFA World Cup, helping bring the tournament to Canadian audiences during a historic moment for the sport in this country.
"My head has been on the Island for the past month, however I feel grateful to be playing a small role at the World Cup," said Dunfield. "It's been amazing to see the soccer community come together, especially outside the studio. You can feel that energy is coming into the broadcast."
A former Canadian international and Manchester City academy graduate, Dunfield enjoyed a professional playing career in England and Major League Soccer before transitioning into coaching. He most recently served as Interim Head Coach of Toronto FC and has continued to build his coaching résumé with Canada Soccer, while also becoming a familiar face to Canadian soccer fans through his work as a TSN and OneSoccer analyst.
Now, Dunfield is eager to begin the next chapter of his career on Vancouver Island.
"I can't wait to work with the players, staff and get to know the fan base, and really be hands-on," said Dunfield. "I'm excited for the day-to-day and to work with Jamar [Dixon] and our leadership on the plan we put together and change the path we are on."
Upon arriving in Victoria, Dunfield will immediately begin leading first-team training while also taking time to work with every level of the club. Alongside meeting players, coaches, staff, and the fanbase he will spend time with Pacific FC's boys' and girls' youth development programs, connecting with young players and coaches while continuing to strengthen the pathway from grassroots soccer to the professional game.
"One of my number one aims is to create the best environment for our players and staff to come to and get better."
Dunfield also acknowledged the work that has gone into guiding the club through the opening years of the Canadian Premier League.
"It's important to give a shout out to what James [Merriman] and Pa-Madou [Kah] have done in the past and to build off that."
With Canada experiencing unprecedented momentum following the FIFA World Cup, Dunfield believes the opportunity to grow the game has never been greater.
"I think it's important that we bottle up the passion and sparked interest in our sport so that more boys and girls get out on the playing fields, and new fans are supporting their local club," said Dunfield. "Our country is putting the infrastructure in place to support it and the time is now."
Pacific FC will host the Halifax Wanderers this Sunday, July 5th in their last match before Terry arrives. Terry’s first match on the touchline will be Thursday, July 16th in Hamilton against Forge.