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Pacific Names BC Native Terry Dunfield As Next Head Coach
By Pacific didn’t have to fish long to secure its replacement for James Merriman, with the Vancouver Isle club announcing Terry Dunfield as its fourth-ever head coach today.
The 44-year-old British Columbia native will join Pacific FC on July 5 when Vanni Sartini’s Halifax comes to town.
The new Pacific boss is currently with the Canada U-20 side in France before fulfilling World Cup analyst duties with TSN.
That means the Tridents will play four games before Dunfield’s arrival. Assistant coach Yiannis Tsalatsidis will lead the team through to Dunfield’s arrival, and will remain part of the coaching staff afterwards.
This will mark Terry’s first spell leading a senior club team on a permanent basis, though he was Toronto FC’s interim head coach back in 2024 following the departure of Bob Bradley.
Dunfield has also coached with the Toronto FC Academy and the Canada U-20 men’s national team, whom he is with at the present – giving him a great inside look at potential signings for his new club.
He’s also a familiar face in media circles, having provided analysis and. Commentary on both TSN, OneSoccer, and CBC Sports. In fact, he helped call the Canadian Premier League’s first-ever game.
The former Canada national team midfielder enjoyed a 17-year playing career that concluded with Major League Soccer stoke at both the Vancouver Whitecaps and Toronto FC, though it also included chapters in English football with Bury FC, Macclesfield Town, Shrewsbury Town, and Oldham Athletic.
His contract with the club runs through the 2027 CPL season and includes a club option for 2028.
“For the last decade, I’ve been working hard for this type of opportunity, and to be able to be a head coach in B.C. is huge,” says Dunfield on Pacific. “I think the timing is perfect and an opportunity to build on some incredible history at Pacific.”
Over on the mainland, SixFive Sports and Entertainment’s other club is also led by a former Whitecaps player, with Martin Nash leading Vancouver FC.
Back on the Isle, Pacific currently finds itself in dire straights, bottom of the league and winless after seven weeks of action.
The club also finds itself for sale by SixFive Sports and Entertainment, who recently settled a lawsuit with a former head coach at its other club Vancouver FC.
Pacific feels a long way removed from its 2021 CPL title win under Pa-Modou Kah, who preceded Vancouver Isle native James Merriman as head coach.
Pacific host a resurgent Atletico Ottawa side this weekend, so it’ll be interesting to see if Pacific squads bounces back following the confirmation of their next head coach.
