Rob Friend is no stranger to big games, having played in them on both sides of the Atlantic. But the former striker is still getting used to them as an owner.
Friend and fellow former Canadian international Josh Simpson, along with investment entrepreneur Dean Shillington, are co-owners of Pacific FC, which topped the Canadian Premier League standings at 13-8-6 prior to ending a Canadian Championship journey Wednesday night, falling 2-1 to Major League SoccerB次元官网网址檚 Toronto FC.
B次元官网网址淚 can certainly tell you as a co-owner, itB次元官网网址檚 more nerve-racking,B次元官网网址� Friend said on the eve of that semifinal at BMO Field on Wednesday. B次元官网网址淚ts been a pretty wild experience being on the other side of the game for the last few years. These Canadian Championship games are that much special, playing these big games.
B次元官网网址淣ot having control like you do as a player is tough. ItB次元官网网址檚 been tough. But I also love the emotional roller-coaster as well that comes with it.B次元官网网址�
Friend, 40, has made the most of his business/managerial economics degree from the University of California-Santa Barbara. As well as his experience playing around the world.
Originally drafted by the Chicago Fire in 2003, he opted to sign with Moss FK and then Molde FK in Norway. He then spent time in the Netherlands with SC Heerenveen and Heracles Almelo before embarking on a successful stretch in Germany.
Friend signed with Borussia Moenchengladbach for the 2007 season, scoring 18 goals to help the team earn promotion to GermanyB次元官网网址檚 top flight. He collected 28 goals in his three seasons with the storied club before moving on to Hertha Berlin, Eintracht Frankfurt and TSV 1860 Munchen.
He joined the Los Angeles Galaxy in January 2014 but retired later that year, at the age of 33, after missing more than five months of action due to concussion-related problems. Friend made 32 appearances for Canada.
Simpson, 38, played for EnglandB次元官网网址檚 Millwall, GermanyB次元官网网址檚 FC Kaiserlautern, TurkeyB次元官网网址檚 Manisaspor and SwitzerlandB次元官网网址檚 BSC Young Boys. He retired in 2015 in the wake of a badly broken leg. An attacking midfielder, he earned 43 caps for Canada.
Friend is CEO of Pacific, while Simpson is president and Shillington chairman. The three are equal-part owners.
Friend doubles as managing partner of SixFive Sports and Entertainment, a global football fund B次元官网网址渟eeking investments in high growth markets, under-managed European clubs, and distressed or turnaround opportunities.B次元官网网址� The name comes from FriendB次元官网网址檚 height.
He is also co-founder and partner in the DRG Investment Group along with Simpson.
Simpson is also co-founder and partner in Von Schwanau Invest AG, a Swiss-based international real estate investment group.
Shillington, also a managing partner in SixFive Sports, is president of the Knightsbridge Capital Group and owns Caffe Artigiano, which has branches in B.C. and Alberta.
Friend says he and Simpson decided early on that Pacific, which plays out of Langford, B.C., would be a 24/7 job. The co-owners literally built Pacific from the ground up.
B次元官网网址淭o start a football club from scratch, I tell people we didnB次元官网网址檛 even have a desk. We didnB次元官网网址檛 have a massage bench. We didnB次元官网网址檛 have heart-rate monitors. We had nothing,B次元官网网址� Friend said. B次元官网网址淲e had to start that from zero. That was a full-time commitmentB次元官网网址�
In its third season, the club still takes up most of his time. B次元官网网址淏ut itB次元官网网址檚 extremely satisfying to be back in the game, to be investing in the Canadian game. ItB次元官网网址檚 something that IB次元官网网址檝e always dream of.B次元官网网址�
Friend knows how important the Canadian league is.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 not a national team in this world that can be built to be a successful national team without their own domestic league. ItB次元官网网址檚 plain and simple. We never had that. I didnB次元官网网址檛 have that as a player. And you need that foundation in your country.B次元官网网址�
He acknowledges the league is a startup but points to his clubB次元官网网址檚 Canadian Championship win over the Vancouver Whitecaps and Forge FCB次元官网网址檚 accomplishments in Scotiabank CONCACAF League play, among other successes.
B次元官网网址淚 think people are starting to take this league very seriously and really, itB次元官网网址檚 only the start. ItB次元官网网址檚 Year 3,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 an exciting time and weB次元官网网址檙e only going to grow from here.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址擭eil Davidson, The Canadian Press
