Friday October 18, 2019 ~ LANGFORD
by Mary P Brooke ~ West Shore Voice News
Just one day ahead of the final game of the Pacific FC inaugural season, the team management has announced the departure of coach Michael Silberbauer.
The Canadian Premium Leagues’ Pacific FC home game hosting Valour FC at Westhills Stadium for the Season Finale comes up tomorrow Saturday October 19 at 3:30 pm (gates open 1:30 pm – tickets). The stadium is nearly sold out, with 5,500 seats sold. Watch Live: OneSoccer.ca
Pacific FC executive and head coach Silberbauer have mutually agreed to part ways immediately, it was stated in a Pacific FC news release October 18.
Bottom line, the ownership group feels their business can do better if the team is performing better for the fans on the field.
“Like any business, soccer is a result-based business. We felt we weren’t getting the results of the pitch that our fans deserve,” said Pacific FC CEO Rob Friend in a news release October 18.
Friend added: “As an ownership group we decided to make the coaching change now, rather than wait until the off season.”
“It’s a mutual decision, we’re shaking the squad up, we want to win championships,” said Friend in an interview with West Shore Voice News today. “We thought it would be the best path to move forward with, on the foundation with what we and Michael have built,” said Friend, with reference to the Pacific FC ownership group including PFC President Josh Simpson.
“It’s a fresh new direction and we’re excited about it,” said Friend. “We’re taking our time. It’s a big decision going forward,” he said with confidence. “Fifteen months ago we were not even a club brand. Now we’re filling the stadium on rainy October weekend,” he said with enthusiasm and pride.
Friend emphasizes that Pacific FC is about professional soccer for the entire island. Their store is in downtown Victoria, their home games are held at Westhills Stadium in Langford, and they’re opening a new training facility in Langford in December.
“We would like to thank Michael for his contributions and wish him all the best in his future endeavours. He was an integral part of our inaugural season, and we will always be thankful,” said Friend.
In both the Spring and Fall Sessions, Silberbauer’s Pacific squad combined for a 7, 7, 13 record.
Assistant coach James Merriman will act as interim head coach for the October 19 game.
It was just over a year ago that Pacific FC welcomed Silberbauer with open arms. The international soccer star relocated at the start of 2019 with his young family from Denmark to be the inaugural coach for the Pacific FC team. His approach was considered fresh and genuine, based on the art of the sport as well as the skill.
After the inaugural game on April 28, attendance held for a while, though was understandably a bit lower in the summer with people having other activities in the summer holiday season.
Pacific FC is the only professional sports enterprise on Vancouver Island. Friend is pleased with the footprint they have started in 2018-2019, with their store on Fort Street in downtown Victoria and their ever-growing presence in the Langford community.
Pacific FC has invested $7 million in a new indoor sports facility on Kettle Creek Drive in Westhills, where their own team can practice and where other sports teams and athletes (both professional and amateur) can make use of the space. An official opening for that facility is coming up December 1, with a complimentary period of use by the community up to December 15.
“We’re trying to grow soccer on the Island,” says Pacific FC president Josh Simpson. “We want to build the culture of soccer, and how do you do that? You get facilities like this one. It’s going to make soccer fun,” said Simpson about the Island Training Centre.
Pacific FC themselves say they “have had a roller coaster of a year with a season full of injuries and young starlets proving they can play at this level”. For this weekend’s game, Pacific returns to the Island following a two-game road trip that consisted of games in Halifax and Edmonton.
“Through an up and down season one thing has remained consistent and that’s been the great support we’ve received from our fans,” said Pacific FC midfielder Ben Fisk.
“Saturday we want to go out and reward them with an entertaining game in front of a sold out crowd at Westhills and end the season on a high,” said Fisk in the news release today.
The PFC team highlights this year include the emergence of forward Terran Campbell who has impressed coaches and fans alike with spontaneous high-energy goals. “When striker Marcus Haber went down with an injury the 20-year-old Burnaby forward stepped in and has made a major impact ever since” it was stated in a news release today. Campbell said in several post-game media interviews that he relies on his own confidence and watching for opportunities to take and not hesitating to act upon them.
Pacific FC organizers say that the October 19 game will be key for Pacific FC as three points would allow the Vancouver Island side to finish Fall Season in fourth place. Meanwhile, Valour FC will be eyeing three points to cement their position in the table and finish off the 2019 season with a win.
Founded in 2018, Pacific Football Club brings professional football to Vancouver Island. Playing out of a renovated, 6000-seat Westhills Stadium in Langford, the club provides an outlet for Canadian soccer players to compete at the professional level of the sport on home soil. Fans can enjoy the fast-paced field-level atmosphere of a Pacific FC game by purchasing tickets at www.pacificfc.ca.