Pascal Millien Returns To Tampa Bay Where His Pro Career Began; This Time As An Opponent

Jacksonville Armada FC is coming off its bye week and entering the fray for another inaugural Coastal Cup rivalry match, this time against the Tampa Bay Rowdies.

For the club, it presents a first chance to visit Al Lang Stadium, but for Pascal Millien it offers an opportunity to go back to where his professional career began.

The Haitian international’s tenure in Tampa Bay predates the Rowdies’ revival - the club was named FC Tampa Bay in his two seasons, 2010-11. Although many changes have been made in St. Petersburg, such as renovations to Al Lang Stadium, which was Progress Energy Park when Millien patrolled the pitch there, he is looking forward to going back.

“It’s a good feeling going back to where I started my professional career,” Millien told NASL. “One thing I always know is that you never forget where you’ve come from. It’s going to be a special moment for me, and I’m looking forward to it.”

The Armada FC midfielder played one season in the North American Soccer League (NASL) before heading overseas. He played in Ireland (Sligo Rovers), Bangladesh (Sheikh Russel), and Thailand (Samut Songkhram FC) – and he also recently trained with Bari in Italy.

Millien, however, always thought he’d find his way back to the United States, so he returned to Florida and to the NASL, which he noted has undergone some positive changes since his last stint.

“Something inside of me always wanted to come back to America, “Millien said. “I feel like I’m home. Soccer in the U.S. is just growing and getting better and better each year and Jacksonville gave me the opportunity.

“Going back to the NASL, the league is growing. It’s a big difference now, and I’m just happy the way things are moving, for all the clubs – how they treat the players and their ambitions.”

Millien became one of the first Armada FC players, along with Guam’s Shawn Nicklaw, to get called up to their respective national teams. He recently played in a friendly against the Chinese National Team, in China, as Haiti gets closer to Gold Cup competition this summer. 

“The game in China was a good experience for everybody,” he said. “It was a big challenge, but we got the draw. For me, it was a good experience because I hadn’t played with some of the guys for some time.

‘We’re not going to have a ton of games to play before the Gold Cup, and it was a good time, but the national team is focused on getting ready for the Gold Cup and possibly getting a chance to play in the Copa America.”

Millien, 28, is focused on the Armada FC’s second Coastal Cup meeting against the Rowdies, after dropping the first match to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers, 2-1, on April 11.

Getting a win could jump-start the Armada FC into winning the Coastal Cup, a trophy Millien has won twice prior.

“Any time it’s for the Cup, you always have to go for it. I won it twice, but that’s the past. The most important thing now is the present with my club and what we’re trying to achieve.

“To win a trophy is always good, so we just have to go out there and work hard – battle them for every ball and every single minute.”

Just how good would it be for Millien to get a win and even the score against his former club? 

“To go back to where I’ve come from, it’s a bit bittersweet but to get a win, and possibly score a goal there, that would be massive,” he said. “It would mean a lot. I just pray, keep my mind focused, and we’re going to go to battle.”

Millien and Jordan Gafa, another former Rowdies player, and the rest of the Armada FC can earn their first-ever Coastal Cup win on Saturday with kickoff slated for 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN3.