Bobby Murphy Discusses Offseason For Portland Hearts of Pine
"I think we're trying to push the boundaries of recruitment in League One."
The offseason is officially here, as Portland Hearts of Pine announced their year-end roster decisions on Thursday.
Returning are Hunter Morse, Kash Oladapo, Jaden Jones-Riley, Nathan Messer, Kemali Green, Mikey Lopez, Khalid Hersi, Michel Poon-Angeron, Masashi Wada, Ollie Wright, Titus Washington, and Jay Tee Kamara.
Thirteen players didn’t have their options picked up: Sean Vinberg, Shandon Wright, Colby Quinones, Mo Mohamed, Sega Coulibaly, Pat Langlois, Mikey Reilly, Nataniel James, Evan Southern, Jake Keegan, Walter Varela, Noah Kvifte, and Azaad Liadi (loan expired).
We sat down with head coach and sporting director Bobby Murphy on Friday, November 14, to discuss what comes next for Hearts.
First-Year Reflections
In the final weeks of the season, Murphy reflected on the inaugural roster, saying, “If I’m proud of one thing, it’s that I’ve recruited 24 really good people who really buy into each other and buy into being supportive of each other and working hard toward a common goal.”
With this in mind, recent roster moves weren’t made lightly.
“I had some really hard conversations,” Murphy told The Blazing Musket. “I say it all the time, it’s a really horrible business filled with really good people. That’s just the nature of it, but it’s what we signed up for when we take these jobs.”
The players who donned the Hearts jersey this year will always be remembered. They defended Fitzpatrick Stadium, secured a playoff spot, and were moments away from reaching the USL League One Final, all while becoming part of the community.
“In their own way, each person who was here this year connected with the community, whether it was open mic nights and playing their guitar or becoming a JV high school soccer coach. Each one found their niche here and made it a home.”
With 2025 coming to an end, attention now shifts to 2026.
“We’re looking to upgrade across the board,” Murphy said. “I think there’s no one spot that anyone’s cemented in or safe. If we can find an upgrade, then we will, and we’ll move forward.”
Murphy noted that the team is aiming to “get a little better” through the spine, specifically naming the centerback and striker positions.
First-year professional Titus Washington (five goals) led the line, with Azaad Liadi (three goals) dealing with an injury during the second half of the season.
Murphy said that Washington “grew by leaps and bounds” while taking “on a lot more responsibility than any of us envisioned.”
“If we’re being honest, we were probably six or seven goals from being in the top four,” Murphy said. “If we can find a proven nine that can get us 12 to 15 goals [we will do it].”
Providing Opportunity
While Murphy isn’t pushing anyone out the door, he recognizes that some players will seek other opportunities.
No names were mentioned, but Murphy revealed that Hearts received a call about a player during the season.
“They never made a formal offer, but a number was thrown out that was, for our level, a really good number,” Murphy said. “But it didn’t really move the needle for us, and the player didn’t want to leave anyway, so it was kind of a moot point.”
Hearts could get more calls in the future, with Murphy listing Messer, Wright, Kamara, and Wada as candidates.
“If I were in a Championship club, I would be tripping over myself to try and get Masashi,” he said.
Murphy believes it’s essential to do right by players. If a player has an offer to make more money or further his career elsewhere, the club will listen. This approach makes Hearts an exciting place for young players to come to.
Of course, the proposal has to be right for the club as well. They’re actively building a system that will allow them to be ready to replace anyone who leaves.
“We’re planning one and two windows ahead, not being reactive every winter,” Murphy said. “So we have an eye on guys. I think that’s our long-term goal, to not be afraid to lose guys, because we’re ready to go and have guys teed up.”
Looking Forward
Building a roster from scratch was certainly daunting, but year two presents its own set of challenges.
“Now that people have seen what we’re doing, people want to be here, they want to play here, and it’s going to require some discipline on my part to pass on people that are good players, but maybe aren’t the right ones for our system, and not be distracted by shiny objects,” Murphy said. “I think that’s going to be the real challenge this next cycle.”
The recruitment process includes analyzing data, watching tape, and interviewing candidates. The goal is to find players who can fit into the Hearts’ system.
Murphy admits that this can take time because the team’s fast-paced, front-foot playing style–which emphasizes going forward instead of backward–can be counterintuitive to some.
The community-based club also wants to ensure it attracts the right personalities. Last year, Hearts players made approximately 150 appearances trying to do good around the state.
“We still value the person first,” Murphy said. “It’s people and purpose first around here, and so we’re letting people know that we’re not compromising on that.”
The nature of USL often sees players cycle from team to team. While experience can be valuable, Hearts are also “trying to push the boundaries of recruitment in League One.”
“We’re looking at a kid right now who’s an under-21 international in Europe, who’s got a really bright future,” Murphy said. “Do we want to take a guy that’s been in the league for five years, or do we want to freshen it up with a 20-year-old who’s got a chance to go on and really be something. That’s what we’re wrestling with, right?”
“How much experience is the right amount of experience in this league?” Murphy asked. “I have a fear that if you have too much experience, that it can become really stale really quick. I’d rather have new faces who are excited and want to learn and want to go and get out of this league as quickly as possible. That’s they’re goal anyway.”
While Hearts will welcome new players for season two, a strong core will remain, as Wright (11 goals, 32 appearances), Wada (9 goals, 27 appearances), Kamara (6 goals, 25 appearances), and Messer (6 goals, 32 appearances) are set to return. Captain Mikey Lopez will continue to bring leadership to the midfield.
The team will continue to be built in the same mold.
“Nothing’s changed from when we talked at the beginning of the year,” Murphy said. “I still want young, aspirational players who want to move on from here and go do bigger and better things, you know? I want this to be a platform for them to do that. I want to be competitive while we do that.”
Year Two Goals
Between the sold-out crowds at Fitzpatrick Stadium, the nationwide media attention, and brave runs in the U.S. Open Cup and USL League One Playoffs, Hearts’ inaugural season has been a success.
The hope is that the sequel brings even more.
“I think we would be disappointed if we didn’t get a playoff game at home,” Murphy said. “I think the people deserve, at the very least, a playoff game at home, and then after that, you don’t know.
“We were 30 seconds and 12 yards from being in the final [this year], but now we’re a million miles from the final. So, some of that stuff you can’t control. Things have to line up for you, but I think our goal is to see Fitzy on a November night bouncing for a playoff game.”
The offseason is the first step in making the vision a reality.
“I think we will invest more, but I think we want to do it [in the right way],” Murphy said. “There are countless examples of where throwing money at something doesn’t make it better. More money to invest helps, but it’s only done if it’s done wisely, if it’s done in line with what we believe our principles are, what our values are, what we’re looking for from the very beginning.
“More doesn’t always mean better. And so, we want to make sure that we’re really prudent with that spending, and we’re spending in the right areas, and we’re investing in the right people.”
While the Hearts’ system certainly provided positive moments in 2025, Murphy believes it’s still “three or four pieces away from coming to full fruition.”
The technical staff is now hard at work to find those pieces. They want players who are willing to step forward, not backward, and to continue sprinting throughout the 90 minutes.
“I think it takes special people to do that, and I think we’re still a few pieces away,” Murphy said. “That’s down to recruitment for this next cycle.
“But I look back at our data, and talking to guys in MLS, our sprint data and our ground covered are comparable to teams that play similarly in MLS, so we’re on the right track. Now it’s just not deviating from that.”