The team shaping every player’s journey with world-class standards, clarity, and care.
Rob Pereira — Technical Director
Role
Rob leads the overall technical direction of Whitecaps London. He aligns our playing identity, training standards, and competitive environment with the Vancouver Whitecaps FC academy, making sure our club operates with true professional-level expectations from grassroots to high performance.
Background
Rob is the bridge between Vancouver and London. He brings years of high-level coaching and leadership experience and uses that to shape how we train, how we play, and how we coach. His strength is turning big-picture ideas into clear, simple frameworks that players and coaches can follow. Under his guidance, our teams play with purpose, organization, and a style that prepares players for the demands of the next level.
Anthony Vassallo — Assistant Technical Director & High Performance Manager
Role
Anthony oversees our high-performance environment, with a focus on OPDL, League1, and the players aiming for those standards. He helps design the training blueprint, supports periodization, and ensures that what happens on the field every week moves players closer to long-term goals.
Background
Anthony brings a modern, evidence-based approach to development shaped by his work in high-performance programmes in both BC and Ontario and within the broader Whitecaps network. He has coached and managed players at some of the highest youth levels in Canada and is known for his attention to detail, his tactical understanding, and his ability to challenge serious players without losing the human side of coaching.
José “Garrincha” Figueiredo — Director of Method & Mastery
Role
Garrincha leads our technical methodology and individual mastery framework. He focuses on how players think, see, and feel the game — building habits around scanning, decision-making, and first touch that show up under pressure on match day.
Background
Garrincha’s background blends European and Canadian experience, with a deep focus on ball mastery, cognitive training, and creative problem-solving. He designs sessions that force players to read cues, adapt quickly, and use their technique in realistic, game-like situations. His influence can be seen in the way our players move, think, and express themselves with the ball.
THE LDN STNDRD
We believe every player deserves more than a training session …
they deserve a plan.
A purpose.
A pathway built with intention, not chance.
The LDN STNDRD is our commitment to developing players the right way: with clarity, honesty, and a level of care that matches the dreams they carry. It’s the promise that every decision we make — from how we coach to how we communicate — is shaped around one question:
“What helps this player grow into the best version of themselves?”
Our technical leaders work as one team with one philosophy, ensuring that:
Training is designed, not improvised.
Development is individual, even inside a team sport.
Standards are professional, no matter the age group.
Growth is measured in skills, character, confidence, and courage — not just wins.
The LDN STNDRD means players are taught to think faster, play smarter, and compete with purpose… but also to lead with integrity, support their teammates, and carry resilience into every corner of their lives.
Because our goal isn’t only to build strong players.
It’s to help young people become stronger humans —
players who rise on the field today and rise in the world tomorrow.
This is our promise.
This is our identity.
This is THE LDN STNDRD.
