Being a first-year head coach is never an easy task. That is especially true when it comes with the pressure of leading a group who are the defending champions of their league. That is the challenge James Merriman of Pacific FC faced to start this year, and he has been learning a lot through his first three months on the job. It has been an up and down season for the 2021 champs. After a solid start to the season, Pacific went winless in June, but have rebounded recently by winning their past two matches. “We have gone through a lot but we have come out of it tighter, than when we started, when we were flying in April," said Merriman. "Everything happens for a reason, and we have become a team through the journey. I have learned a lot through the past three months for sure.” April's CPL Coach of the Month sat down with Charlie O'Connor-Clarke of CanPL.ca to discuss how his Pacific FC side has come together during their recent struggles, the recent development of Djenairo Daniels and Gianni Dos Santos, wanting to be the team to beat in the CPL and plenty more.

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