Game Plan Sports Group, the new ownership group taking over Canadian Premier League club York United FC, was officially introduced to the media on Thursday at a press conference held at York Lions Stadium. The Pasquel brothers, Eduardo (CEO), Ricardo (President and General Manager) and Miguel (Commercial Director and Head of New Strategic Alliances) addressed journalists and took questions when they were officially unveiled as the club’s new leadership.
The trio talked about a variety of topics, from roster construction to stadiums to their general enthusiasm for the path of Canadian soccer.
Here are some highlights of what the Paskill brothers had to say.
On what they like about Canada:
Miguel: “This was a dream come true for us. We saw so many opportunities after we first connected with Mark [Noonan] And his team, we saw that this was a big deal. We know Canada, and we have been studying it over the past few months. Football is growing, it’s a huge sport. Over a million players play here in Canada, ranging in age from three to 50 years old. They will host the FIFA World Cup in 2026. So this is a big problem.
“When we look at it and all its advantages, it means the world to us. And as I’ve been saying to some of the fans, this is their team too. When we look at the community, we want to grow with them.”
Ricardo: “I met my wife 25 years ago, and when I met my wife she had just moved back to Mexico because she was living in Toronto. Ever since I met her, she was very vocal about Toronto – it was Toronto this, Toronto that, and I started to get upset about Toronto. Then “The first time I came here was probably 10 years ago and I said, ‘Yes, I see why you talk so highly about Toronto.’ So I’m very excited to live here.”
On building a future home for York United:
Eduardo: “I think we’re playing in a great stadium now, and we’re very grateful to the university – it’s a top-notch university – but I also think we need our own stadium. For the fans, for our identity, for everything. We’ll work on that, we’ll see some options and what It’s the best option. We’ll talk to the fans and the community, involve them a lot in the decision, and start working on it.
On the status of the club’s roster and its vision on the field:
Ricardo: “I think the team has great players – probably the best roster in the league. I don’t want to bash Bobby and Forge and everyone, but I don’t think they’ll be happy for many years to come. We’re up for the challenge, I can tell you that.”
Miguel: He added: “In the playoff match, we lost in the last match with a score of 1-0. Although [the sale] It wasn’t official, we were seen as fans at the time. When the game ended, it was absolutely heartbreaking – at the time it wasn’t official, and now we’re officially part of this team as the owner, so we’re looking forward to putting together a great team and competing game by game. “
In building the community club first:
Ricardo: “Since we were little kids, we used to support another team in Mexico – not anymore – but we could never identify the owners. It’s the community. Well, this might be the day we introduce ourselves as the team’s owners, but it will be the city team, Community Team.”
Eduardo: “we Last week we met with some interesting people from York Region, some of the youth schools, and we actually talked to them. We want to build something together with them in the community, with the children; This is something we have already started looking into.
About their philosophy of building a team with Canadian talent
Ricardo: “Our vision for the future is to invest in young Canadian talent. That’s why we’re here, and I can tell you that’s probably the most important factor. Obviously we have small, medium and long-term plans. … One of the plans we’re talking about is how we can be competitive.” Very important in every tournament, but at the same time most of the roster is made up of young Canadians. We have to find the right balance, but obviously it is easier in theory than in practice.
“I can tell you that we are exploring all options, from leagues in Africa, Asia, Mexico and Latin America; if not, I think we will not do a great job. Regarding Mexico, I can tell you that we have a lot of contacts with most of the teams, so we will reach out to them.” We will meet in December, January and February, and we will start building a relationship with them, identifying players who might be good for the Premier League in the future.
