Pacific FC Launch / 2019 off season thread

[Watchmen]

8 hours ago, ted said:

Salary Cap: There are three owners (not one) and the "business guy" seeking to limit expenses is neither surprising nor of concern.

Lower Mainland: now you flip your error and say "owners". AFAIK Rob Friend was the owner (one of three) who wanted the Lower Mainland. Simpson is an Island boy and Shillington, as the aforesaid "business guy" probably only cared about the best deal/market.

You think we will struggle, I think we will be in the mix for top of the table. We'll see in 2019.

Yeah, sorry,  I should have said "the primary owner who is almost certainly providing the bulk of the money has stated on the record that he wants a lower salary cap and also very clearly wanted a team in the lower mainland more than on the Island".  And I'd be surprised if Friend and Simpson are much more than figure heads.  I'm not saying they have no money invested, but I would be very surprised if ownership investment is anywhere near equal, and I would strongly suspect that any losses will be primarily born by Shillington.  Nash is an owner in Vancouver.  I don't at any time think he's the driving force of the finances.  I suspect that's the same case for Friend and Simpson.  And there's nothing wrong with that.

 

I'm guessing literally every single fan base thinks they're going to be "in the mix for the top of the table in 2019."  Reality is someone will finish bottom.  I'm saying I would not at all be surprised if Victoria is in that mix.

[Watchmen]

17 hours ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

Cheeta is right, no Lower Mainland player is going to say no to going to Vancouver Island. It would probably reduce his living costs, apart from the fact that quality of life is high. So the player captation area of Pacific FC represents about 2.5 million people, realistically. 

I'd disagree with this.  The cost of living on the Island isn't necessarily cheap either, and given the opportunity to go to a much cheaper market east of here for roughly the same pay, they might leap at that chance.  I'm not saying a player from the Lower Mainland wouldn't go to the Island, I'm saying if they have the option I'm not sure it would be their first choice.

[ted]

44 minutes ago, Watchmen said:

Reality is someone will finish bottom.  I'm saying I would not at all be surprised if Victoria is in that mix.

In the mix for the bottom? Hopefully not!  ?

40 minutes ago, Watchmen said:

The cost of living on the Island isn't necessarily cheap either, and given the opportunity to go to a much cheaper market east of here for roughly the same pay, they might leap at that chance.  I'm not saying a player from the Lower Mainland wouldn't go to the Island, I'm saying if they have the option I'm not sure it would be their first choice.

Yeah, cost of living on the Island is not that much cheaper than Vancouver, at least not in the Greater Victoria Area.

That said, I think anyone from Vancouver would prefer the Island to Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, etc.

[yyj2cpl]

PFC announces schedule of pan-Island(s) events- stoked theyre making the effort of hitting up Saltspring http://pacificfc.canpl.ca/events

[masster]

Any news on whether the club will be organizing anything around the open trials? They are 1 week away now.

[ted]

23 hours ago, masster said:

Any news on whether the club will be organizing anything around the open trials? They are 1 week away now.

Apparently the days are too long and the schedule too tight. 

LSB TV will be there covering the trails though and we will keep people updated if something can be arranged for locals.

 

[C2SKI]

It seems Merriman, Simpson, and Friend are all quite involved in talent assessment, and likely squad building too. I guess that makes sense considering they're targeting local players, but it's an interesting situation for Silberbauer to walk into. 

Edited November 6, 2018 by C2SKI

[masster]

I recognize very few names from the list of players that made it to Day 2 of the open trials:
https://canpl.ca/video/making-the-cut-list-of-trialists-on-vancouver-island-to-advance-to-day-2-of-the-open-trials

Chris Suta was part of the youth national team player pool back in the day if I remember correctly.
Erik Edwardson played for TSS Rovers this summer in PDL.

None of the players that the league website picked out as ones to watch are Canadian. Seems like there was a large Japanese contingent.
https://canpl.ca/video/players-to-watch-heading-into-the-final-day-of-the-gotgame-trials-on-van-isle

[shorty]

Yay!  Sam Prette made the cut.  I taught Sam in grade 10.  Went on to play for the Vikes at UVic and for the Highlanders.  Nice kid.

[Kent]

8 hours ago, shorty said:

Yay!  Sam Prette made the cut.  I taught Sam in grade 10.  Went on to play for the Vikes at UVic and for the Highlanders.  Nice kid.

Maybe one day he can make the CMNT and play alongside Sam Piette. Could make for some mildly tongue twisting commentating.

[shorty]

Ha! That would be awesome. It's pronounced more like "pretty" than "prett" though, despite the spelling similarity. 

[masster]

Times Colonist article on the trials - Hundreds take a kick at pro soccer career
https://www.timescolonist.com/sports/hundreds-take-a-kick-at-pro-soccer-career-at-canadian-premier-league-open-trials-1.23488179

[RickC]

Good article, helping to raise awareness locally. Maybe someone could clear up my confusion about what this entity is: "European Premiership pro league." I don't know if it means FC Hollywood and Barca will be joining this league, or if Davis and Tabla will be leaving their clubs to join the league.

[Aird25]

https://www.cheknews.ca/players-from-near-and-far-take-a-kick-at-pro-soccer-at-canadian-premier-league-open-trials-506105/

 

[Unnamed Trialist]

5 hours ago, RickC said:

Good article, helping to raise awareness locally. Maybe someone could clear up my confusion about what this entity is: "European Premiership pro league." I don't know if it means FC Hollywood and Barca will be joining this league, or if Davis and Tabla will be leaving their clubs to join the league.

I just understood it at their abbreviated way to talk about the better top flight leagues in Europe.

So I forgave it, since I know the Times Colonist well, I would not expect anything more from them. 

[masster]

On 11/5/2018 at 10:15 PM, shorty said:

Yay!  Sam Prette made the cut.  I taught Sam in grade 10.  Went on to play for the Vikes at UVic and for the Highlanders.  Nice kid.

Prette is interviewed in the TV Clip that @Aird25 posted

[shorty]

Nice! Thanks. Like I said, great kid. Too bad he didn't make the final cut. Saw he was top five for some of the physical tests though. 

[ted]

LSB TV on the tryouts this week:
 

 

[C2SKI]

Thanks for the video! Any guesses on who from the trial might get an invite to camp?

[ted]

15 hours ago, C2SKI said:

Thanks for the video! Any guesses on who from the trial might get an invite to camp?

Not a clue. Anyone we talked to was being very cagey. Rob Friend seemed to have some names on his mind and I think James Merriman did too. I couldn't pick a player to save my life, which is why I don't coach. LOL 

[Aird25]

7 hours ago, ted said:

Not a clue. Anyone we talked to was being very cagey. Rob Friend seemed to have some names on his mind and I think James Merriman did too. I couldn't pick a player to save my life, which is why I don't coach. LOL 

Everyone seemed surprised by the number of international attendees. I was hoping the coaches might have let more slip behind the scenes.

Edited November 10, 2018 by Aird25

[Guest]

4 hours ago, Aird25 said:

Everyone seemed surprised by the number of international attendees. I was hoping the coaches might have let more slip behind the scenes.

I hope the league puts in place rules that really emphasize Canadian talent. This league absolutely must be a breeding ground for young Canadians. And this will necessarily limit opportunities for international players, particularly those with relatively little experience.

[C2SKI]

14 hours ago, ted said:

Not a clue. Anyone we talked to was being very cagey. Rob Friend seemed to have some names on his mind and I think James Merriman did too. I couldn't pick a player to save my life, which is why I don't coach. LOL 

I really wanted one of them to bite and give an honest assessment of the local talent. I suppose we'll have to wait and see 

[Unnamed Trialist]

Does anyone think that perhaps Pacific has already identified a core of potential players, who were told not to waste their time on the trials? For example, a few Highlanders players, or others who may have been in other PDL teams who have expressed interest? Or maybe someone else based on the Island or from the Island who they have spoken to?

I know this is not a stricly Canadian example, but a few years ago I went to see Vancouver United play the team from Nanaimo, think it was Mid-Island Mariners, and Victor Blasco, the former Whitecaps 2 player, was there. He was probably the best on the field. I see he now plays for Vancouver Island U, he is experienced, still young. Then they have this Japanese goal scorer, Shun Takano. VIU won the CCAA national last year (small universities) and Takano was MVP. He also plays summers for Mid-Island.

Not sure now if either went to the trials, but don't think so. So what would you do? Identify top Van Is prospects and tell them: hey, you interested in coming to a pre-season camp? Or do you ask these guys, who are already clearly on your radar, to go to the trials anyways?

(Edit: think Blasco is on track for citizenship, after so many years here. I know that after being let go from Caps, he decided to study in Nanaimo, and seemed okay with the decision. Case of Takano, who is here on a student visa, but could also be on citizenship track soon).

 

Edited November 10, 2018 by Unnamed Trialist

[Watchmen]

11 hours ago, dsqpr said:

I hope the league puts in place rules that really emphasize Canadian talent. This league absolutely must be a breeding ground for young Canadians. And this will necessarily limit opportunities for international players, particularly those with relatively little experience.

Didn't they already put in place roster rules/limitations requiring a certain number of Canadians to be on the pitch at all times?  Or was that just a rumour.