'Always be better': One-on-one with Pacific FC CEO Rob Friend
Pacific's co-owner and sports director weighs in on the club's direction, Langford's bid to host a single-site competition, and the case for continuity in the chase for a CPL title
Pacific FC’s Rob Friend is not one to mince words, nor indulge in self-congratulations. Such is to be expected from a 32-time capped Canadian international with a resume that includes seven years in the Bundesliga. There is a singular devotion to the process—to effort—in the name of results and building a winning club. He is not a man accustomed to losing—nor idleness, it seems.
“I think we can always improve, always be better,” he says.
As Pacific FC nears the start of its third season, I spoke with Friend about the club’s bet on continuity, Langford’s bid to host the single-site portion of the Canadian Premier League season, and his expectations for the club in 2021.
This interview has been lightly condensed for clarity.
In 2019, you made a statement before the final match of the season. You let Michael Silberbauer go and said, “we’re not here to make sure everybody’s comfortable … everyone needs to perform.” You brought in Pa-Modou Kah in the 2020 offseason, made a number of roster changes, and the club improved enough to clinch a playoff berth at the Island Games. How satisfied are you with the club’s direction entering year three?
Friend: Yeah, I mean, I think when we set out to build our original roster, we built that young roster to build into the future, so we knew that year one wasn’t going to be immediate success on the field. We were really looking at this from a long-term build process. Obviously, Michael [Silberbauer] had some challenges year one. We were looking from a coaching perspective to go a different direction.
We needed, really, a true leader on and off the field—someone like Pa[-Modou Kah], who can take these young kids [and] be that role model. He’s played the game at the highest level, understands what these kids need, and [knows how] to push and challenge these young players. That’s always, from day one, been our club philosophy with the younger players—and then as they get older and more experienced, the idea is to add the layers underneath them and just continue that cycle of bringing in the young players, playing and developing them, getting them experience in this league, and then hopefully moving them on. Obviously, not every player is going to move on, but that’s certainly our goal: to have a very high success rate of our players moving on to much higher levels, and hopefully into the national team.
“We knew that year one wasn’t going to be immediate success on the field. We were really looking at this from a long-term build process … That’s always, from day one, been our club philosophy with the younger players—and then as they get older and more experienced, the idea is to add layers underneath them.”
That’s our philosophy. It’s always been. But certainly, eventually, there comes a time where we need to hit that sweet spot of being the youngest team in the league, but also winning: winning championships, competing in the Canadian Championship. That’s certainly the ambitious goal this club has.
Looking at this past season, then, how do you view it: as meeting expectations, exceeding them, or are there things you were looking for last season that you haven’t seen yet?
Friend: Well, I think we always set our sights very high. Our ownership group, Josh and I; obviously with our coaching staff, Pa and James; we have very high expectations, so I don’t think we’re ever going to pat ourselves on the back and say, “great job.” I think we can always improve, always be better. Obviously, last year was a big step. It was a challenging year all around, so I think it was difficult to really judge an entire season, because it was such a short season. But I think we saw moments of the direction we’re [headed] as a club.
We invested after that season last year to keep our players here; we kept them until December to keep them training at the highest level. We brought them in early this year, obviously with the COVID challenges, but we brought them in early this year, and really to keep them in our environment: to keep them training, keep developing them, keep pushing and challenging our players. So we have very high expectations for this year to build off of last year.
“Our core group of guys from year one are still around, and they’ve improved every year … they understand that they need to be better every single day in training and set the expectations high for this season and going forward.”
Obviously you need a little bit of luck, you know, with injuries. The salary caps are the salary caps, so it’s not [as if] you can invest a bunch of money in your squad; you still have to be very smart. But certainly, our core group of guys from year one are still around, and they’ve improved every year. You see [Matthew] Baldisimo getting called to the Philippines national team; it’s well-deserved from him. And our players are feeling it. They’re understanding the club’s ambition, so they understand that they need to be better every single day in training and set the expectations high for this season and going forward.
There are plenty of familiar faces on this Pacific FC roster: 16 of a possible 23 roster spots are returning players, and seven of those players have been with the club from its very beginning. What do you see on this roster that gives you confidence in staying the course? Why opt for continuity?
Friend: In sports, whether it be football or other sports, consistency is key. I think that’s number one. So creating a base of continuity, that consistent squad, guys knowing each other, and it takes time. That was always our [plan] from year one, building our squad, [that] by year three, most of these guys would be around, and they’ll have a couple years of experience, they’ll be older—albeit still at a young age. So yeah, I think consistency in a squad is key. And that’s really your foundation, your base—and then as players come and go, whether that be on-field reasons or off-field reasons, you’re going to have to always make changes, try to add quality on and off the pitch, but certainly, that [consistency] always should be the foundation of a club.
One of your biggest moves of the offseason was re-signing Marco Bustos. He had a breakout tournament at the 2020 Island Games (5 goals, 3 assists). What goals do you have for him this season? What’s the next level for his game to reach?
Friend: I think he’s been through quite a journey in his young career, obviously with the Whitecaps and then moving on [to Oklahoma City, and] coming back to the CPL. He’s grown a lot. We, as a club, have very high expectations. Obviously, last year was challenging [with a] shortened season. He did a fantastic job. In my opinion, he brings the professionalism every player should be bringing in this league. He’s extremely ambitious. On and off the pitch, he sets the bar; he sets the example.
“[Marco’s] extremely ambitious. On and off the pitch, he sets the bar … We’re excited to see what he can do, and we’re going to do everything we can to hopefully see him at that next level.”
He’s a player, we want to see him through; we want to push him further. He’s a great example of a player that needs to leave this league and play at a higher level. It’s not as easy as leaving—you need the right mentality and character, and he absolutely has that, and he’s ready.
Unfortunately, because of the situation globally, it’s tough for any player to leave right now, so hopefully the world gets back to normal. I’m excited to see what he can do this season with a full season under his belt. He’s absolutely worked, and he deserves it, so we’re excited to see what he can do, and we’re going to do everything we can to hopefully see him at that next level. It was a nice little treat that he got called into the [Canadian] national team in January, and he did a great job. But we’re going to keep pushing him and hopefully support him on his next move after a strong season.
Over the offseason, Marcel de Jong announced his retirement. He’s been the face of the franchise in many ways from the beginning. How do you fill the void he leaves behind on and off the pitch?
Friend: Certainly, he came with tremendous pedigree and experience, and he’s a great leader in the locker room. Year one, obviously, he didn’t play [due to] injury.1 Year two was a tough one. He hadn’t played in almost two years, [and] last year was such a shortened season, he couldn’t get a full season under his belt.
His career speaks for himself, and I have all the respect for Marcel, but as a club … we’re confident in the players we have. There may be one or two more additions; we’re not sure. We’ll wait and see what it looks like from an injury status, but we’re very confident in the players we have, and we’re adding the quality to improve.
Thomas Meilleur-Giguère was a revelation at centre-back last season. He was one of the best U-23 talents across the CPL and earned a spot on Canada’s Olympic qualifying roster. What do you expect of him this year?
Friend: I think Thomas is one of the top players in this league, all-around. He’s got tremendous character. He’s an absolute machine—I mean, he played every minute last year in a really tough tournament. He got set back [with injury] at the Olympic qualifiers; I actually think the team really missed him [and] his leadership on and off the field. And he came back from his knee injury in record time, which just shows the work he puts in and the type of character he [has].
“I think Thomas is one of the top players in this league, all-around. He’s got tremendous character. He’s an absolute machine—I mean, he played every minute last year.”
We have very, very high expectations of Thomas this year—and he’s another one of those players we see that needs to be at a higher level, whether we can help him move to Europe [or elsewhere]. He has very high ambitions. He’s still young, and we’re excited to see what he can do this year. He’s certainly a huge leader in this club. We did our homework on his time at Ottawa Fury, his time with the Montreal Impact, and he’s come in and set the standard high—him and Marco and a few of our other boys, we have very high expectations for this club. And we’re excited to see what we can do.
One of the new faces is Manny Aparicio. We’ve seen what he’s capable of against Pacific FC. What qualities do you see in him that made him an attractive signing?
Friend: I think, certainly, he fit the type of profile of player that our club was looking for. He’s done very well against our club in the last couple years. Everybody knows who he is in this league, so he’s set a great example in this league, and certainly, he fits our style of play and the way Pa wants to play. So in the offseason when we set our targets, the next day after the tournament, we got back and sat down, and he was our number one target, so we’re excited that we were able to get him. And I think that speaks to our club as well: that players like Manny want to come to Pacific.
Ollie Bassett makes for an intriguing addition on the attacking side. But unlike Aparicio, who we’ve seen in CPL action before, he’s a relatively unknown quantity. What potential do you see in him?
Friend: I think a player like [Ollie], or any foreign player we haven’t seen live, playing in a different league, it’s always a challenge. I can certainly say we’ve watched hours and hours of video on Ollie, so we’ve seen his qualities; he certainly has qualities. It’s a challenge what level he’s been at. He’s been a journeyman, and I think he’s had maybe a bit of bad luck in his career. The quality is there—we see him. Can he bring it this year and further in the league?
He’s a kid that’s shown he wants to be here. I mean, I think it was a three-week journey for him to get to Canada, which just shows his commitment to playing in this league and playing for this club. He definitely wants it, and he’s come here to prove [to] everyone that he’s got the qualities, so we’re excited, and watching him in training, he’s an exciting player as well.
Terran Campbell has had an up-and-down two seasons with Pacific. He was brilliant in year one (11 goals), but struggled to make his mark at the Island Games (1 goal across 10 appearances). Were the expectations of last season too high? Are we viewing his contributions through too narrow of a lens?
Friend: Obviously, last year was tough—and I get it; I was a striker. When you have a shortened season, it’s tough to get consistent games. You need to get [on] sort of a scoring streak, and in such a short season, it was difficult for Terran. He had expectations on him. But certainly, I can say, we expect a lot from Terran. We know he’s got the quality; there’s no doubt. I’ve always said, if I had that sort of quality when I was a player, what I could’ve done—so we do have expectations for him.
“It’s a big year for Terran. He’s getting a little bit older; he’s not a young talent anymore ... There’s no doubt he’s got all the talent in the world to play at any level. I think it’s up to Terran in terms of what he wants.”
But it’s a big year for Terran. He’s getting a little bit older;2 he’s not a young talent anymore in the grand scheme of football. There’s no doubt he’s got all the talent in the world to play at any level. I think it’s up to Terran in terms of what he wants, and we’ve done everything we can to support him, and now it’s up to him. So hopefully he can bring it, because he’s got everything, and he’s a fantastic kid. We’ll continue to push him and keep expectations, and then ultimately, it’s up to him. We’ll see what he can do.
Earlier this week, you made it known that Pacific’s interested in hosting the single-site portion of the 2021 CPL season. What makes Langford an attractive option?
Friend: Well, I think there were challenges last year, not playing in a CPL market—not [only not] having the infrastructure, but the staffing. We have our business operations staff here. We’ve got Langford, as a city, [that’s] extremely supportive; their motto is “support the capital.” So they’ve got facilities; they’ve got great fields. We’ve got Starlight Stadium set up for broadcast. The training facilities are there. World-class hotels. Obviously, Victoria being such a tourist destination, it’s set up perfectly for an event like this.
We’re working day and night—and I know there’s other markets in the mix—but I would be extremely disappointed in our government if we can’t support something like this. We’re talking multiple weeks, 300-plus players and staff coming into a city, in a city that’s really been decimated [by the loss of] the tourism industry. So this is bigger than the CPL, in my opinion. This is coming out of COVID, supporting local economies, and sometimes you need the support of the government. And we’re asking them, putting pressure on the BC government, to support this. Because it goes directly into the local businesses.
“We’ve got Starlight Stadium set up for broadcast. The training facilities are there. World-class hotels … I would be extremely disappointed in our government if we can’t support something like this.”
We’re all passionate to support our local businesses to come out of this, and what better way than to bring the CPL into our market, show the recovery [after] COVID, and play games? Hopefully there’ll be fans in the stands and in hotels that are struggling. [There are] so many reasons why we want this tournament here, and absolutely, we can support it with [the] great hotels, transportation, and hospitality that Greater Victoria offers.
We’re hopeful. We’re doing everything we can, and the rest is up to which government puts their best foot forward.
You’re also in on a pitch with the Vic West Athletic Association to have Royal Athletic Park upgraded and hosting games in the lead-up to the 2026 World Cup. What’s in it for Pacific?
Friend: I think there’s a bit of confusion on us being part of that pitch. We’re not officially part of that pitch, but certainly, what we can do as a club, as a professional CPL club in this market, is support any initiative that wants to grow the game. It’s obvious Royal Athletic Park needs a revitalization. It needs capital injected from the City of Victoria. It’s got a great history of soccer,3 so certainly, when Vic West approached us for our support, absolutely, as a club, we will throw our hat in the mix and support them any way we can.
We’re obviously committed to Starlight Stadium, and Langford’s done a tremendous job with us. But that helps grow the game. Can there be the odd friendly game at Royal Athletic Park with the CPL? Absolutely. But the City of Victoria needs to have a look at themselves [and] what they’re doing with that facility, because it needs an update. Vic West is doing what they can to push that forward, and we absolutely support them.
Naturally, when you get to thinking about Royal Athletic Park and the prospect of a downtown stadium with a grass field, it’s an attractive option. But you’re saying that Starlight Stadium remains the focus?
Friend: Yeah. I mean, we have a contractual commitment to Starlight with the City of Langford. They’ve invested tremendous capital. We’re pushing to remove the power lines and finish the stadium. Part of our contract is a final grandstand where the power lines are—that’s in our contract, so there’s an expectation from our club that [it] needs to happen.
“We’re not just going to sit back and accept what we have; we want to keep growing a a club, and as you see the population on the Westshore grows, our stadium is going to need to increase capacity.”
That’s part of our ambition as a club: we’re not just going to sit back and accept what we have; we want to keep growing as a club, and I think as you see the population on the Westshore grows, our stadium is going to need to increase capacity. We’re able to host Canadian national team games; we’ll continue to host those and do what we can to bring more soccer—whether it be international, national team, CPL games—to our stadium. But we’ll keep putting pressure on Langford [and] the government to remove that [hydro] pole so we can finish our stadium.
And obviously, Royal Athletic Park has a tremendous history. So [if] the City of Victoria wants to increase capacity and upgrade that stadium, that’s something we’re going to support and do our part in getting that done, and then we can, you know, look at both stadiums—with Royal Athletic Park as sort of a secondary option if we want to play the odd game out there.
Last year, before the pandemic changed things, Starlight Stadium (then Westhills Stadium) was set to host a pair of Canadian men’s national team friendlies. How engaged are you in bringing that kind of competition back to the island?
Friend: Extremely. We’re in monthly conversations with the Canadian Soccer Association, John Herdman, [Canada Soccer president] Nick Bontis, [CSA General Secretary] Peter Montopoli. We’re probably, I would say monthly, we’re on calls with them. Obviously, they have challenges with where to play and the best location, given the [global] circumstances, but I think we’ve proven by selling out those two games in less than forty-eight hours that there’s an appetite for [Canadian international friendlies]. It fills a nice spot of that 6,000-plus stadium for the smaller games. They can come in and out, and they see the atmosphere at our stadium, and what our fans can bring.
I think, again, a part of our club philosophy is to grow the game on the island, and that’s not just CPL, that’s national team games. That’s bringing Alphonso Davies and some of our big players through the island for our young players to aspire to. It’s all part of our philosophy to grow the game, and we’re going to continue to put pressure on the CSA to have more games out here. But that also comes with the City [of Langford] finishing the stadium and increasing the capacity, because if we can get to 10,000 seats, we know we can sell those bigger games out. And I think it’d be great for football across this country, and obviously soccer in the region here.
There’s still one open roster spot for Pacific. What area are you looking to strengthen?
Friend: Well, I can certainly say we’re very happy with what we’ve got. Attack-wise, we’ve got plenty of different options. Defensively, I think it’s important to stay consistent with the players we have. Really, I think it’s waiting to see what the league looks like. If there’s going to be a compressed schedule, depth is a big one. Where are we weak on depth is what we’re looking at.
There’s not one specific position that we’ve targeted; I think it’s just really looking at the next few weeks, touch wood, how we are on injuries and fitness, and then we’ll evaluate as we go into the summer—and if there’s any gaps that need to be filled or not. We’re certainly confident with what we have at the moment.
De Jong did play last season, albeit sparingly: a mere 50 minutes across the final two matches of the season.
Campbell will turn 23 in October.
The first-ever soccer game at Royal Athletic Park was played September 12, 1908, between Victoria West and Fifth Regiment.
Really great piece. Rob Friend seems like such a candid guy, he must be a dream to interview.
The two big takeaways for me were the comments on Campbell and RAP.
Reading between the lines on Campbell, it sounds to me like the clock is ticking for him to find his form this year. I fear that’s going to be a challenge for him considering he’s probably second choice as striker to start the season.
The RAP stuff was great and I’m so pleased you asked about that, as there’s been a lot of rumour swirling around. I am a PFC-to-RAP booster, and I’m pleased to see that the club is considering hosting friendlies there if the new stand gets done. I believe that the level of support they will see there will definitely cause them to consider their options when the contract ends in Langford...