Portland Hearts Of Pine Coach Looking To Build Something That's "Meaningful" and "Successful"
"Now is a chance to put my money where my mouth is, and believe that you can build something that's meaningful, that can treat people well, and be successful.”
Bobby Murphy wasn't necessarily looking to come to New England, though he did call the region home during his early coaching career.
Texas was a more likely destination if he were to leave his position as head coach of St. Louis 2. He grew up in the Lone Star State and still has family there.
But serving as the inaugural head coach and sporting director of Portland Hearts of Pine of USL League One was too good an opportunity to pass up.
The club and community were the perfect match for Murphy, who believes that the Beautiful Game can bring people together.
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Many experiences have shaped Bobby Murphy. One that stands out occurred when he was at Orlando City SC.
Brazilian superstar Kaka, who had recently gone through a divorce, went to Murphy with a request. The club was in the midst of a busy schedule, and he wanted to spend some time with his son.
Murphy invited the youngster on an away trip.
“Without a second thought, I was like, ‘Yeah, absolutely, we'll make this work,’” Murphy told The Blazing Musket. “We'll get him a ticket on the flight. He'll be in on every meal. He'll be on the bench. Whatever we can do.
“He was the World Player of the Year, and this unbelievable player. But he has real-life issues going on. He's a dad who doesn't see his kids very often, and that hurts. So to facilitate that, I think, is important.”
Murphy has an innate ability to make connections, which is why people gravitate to him.
If you enjoy your coach in that way, you'll want to die for him on the field. You'll do anything for him." - Mikey Lopez on Bobby Murphy
Mikey Lopez was a teenager when he first worked with Murphy at St. Stephen’s Episcopal School. Now 31, Lopez was excited to reunite for this endeavor.
"Obviously, [Murphy is] focused on the playing side, but I think he worries more about us as people, rather than players, and I think that's what makes everybody want to play for him," Lopez said.
"That's what makes everyone more comfortable with him, because we see him as a friend first. If you enjoy your coach in that way, you'll want to die for him on the field. You'll do anything for him."
While he hasn’t known Murphy for nearly as long, goalkeeper coach and set-piece analyst Yuta Nomura can attest to the head coach’s kindness.
After learning that Nomura was leaving New England Revolution II, Murphy invited him and his wife to visit Portland, ME. The group hit it off while touring the city.
"Immediately, we found out this guy wants to take care of his staff," Nomura said. "My wife said she really liked him. That's something. She doesn't work with Bobby. She doesn't see Bobby every day, but she has that similar instinct, that feeling, that I have as well."
Whether it's bringing cookies to the office, offering pizzas to fans at the Portland Zoo, or attending pick-up games at Kennedy Park, it's clear that Murphy understands that everyone is essential to the success of Hearts.
It's why fans have adopted the phrase "In Bobby We Trust."
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Bobby Murphy, who has coached in MLS Next Pro, USL League One, USL Championship, and MLS, found the prospect of building a team from scratch intriguing.
The hope is that Portland Hearts of Pine will become a club that resonates with the people of Maine. Murphy wants to help bring that vision to life.
“When we're alone in our car, we're the smartest people in the world,” Murphy said. “We have all the answers, but now is a chance to put my money where my mouth is, and believe that you can build something that's meaningful, that can treat people well, and be successful.”
To ensure he stayed true to his values, Murphy asked some friends to assess him as he brought in players and staff.
“I've brought in a couple of buddies who are coaches, just to make sure that I'm doing what I say and not landing myself in an echo chamber,” Murphy said.
One thing that Murphy believes in is giving opportunities to young players.
While Hearts have experience in Mikey Lopez, Pat Langlois, Sean Vinberg, and others, the roster's average age is 23/24, a few years younger than the league average.
Now is a chance to put my money where my mouth is, and believe that you can build something that's meaningful, that can treat people well, and be successful.” - Bobby Murphy
“[It’s] just sticking to what I believe: That kids can come good and will come good,” Murphy said. “There'll be nights where they'll look like kids, and it will happen, but hopefully, we grow from those and bounce back and keep grinding.”
Murphy also believes in the power of learning.
He recalled a moment in Orlando when Hearts players and staff were watching Spike Lee’s Malcolm X. After learning that many of them hadn’t read the book, Murphy went to a store to pick up a few copies. While there, he also purchased Farewell to Arms, Empire of the Summer Moon, and several others.
“I think young people want to learn stuff,” Murphy said. “When it comes to learning things, the hardest part is putting the book in their hand and opening that first page.
“Being well-rounded, being a good soccer player, and having ideas of your own, I don't think any of those things are mutually exclusive.”
Of course, Murphy is just one piece of the Hearts puzzle.
Countless people have laid the foundation for the club and work daily to ensure things run smoothly. Murphy specifically named club founder Gabe Hoffman-Johnson, who built a club and a community.
On the technical side, Murphy now has a staff that includes goalkeeper coach Yuta Normura and first assistant Alex Ryan.
Normura comes to Hearts after five years with the New England Revolution’s second team. Ryan was last with Seacoast United, leading the Phantoms to the USL League Two National Championship in 2024 while maintaining an 82% winning percentage over 68 games.
Murphy said Normura is “great with the keepers, great with set pieces.” He complimented Ryan, saying, “Alex’s rapport with the players is big time.”
“The two of them are fantastic people; they’re great to be around,” Murphy said.
Together, they hope to accomplish big things with Portland Hearts of Pine.
“To have the opportunity to build something from scratch in a community that means something is just something I couldn't turn down,” Murphy said. “And hopefully doing it well.”
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Portland Hearts of Pine’s first-ever competitive game was played at Lewiston High School in front of approximately 3,000 fans.
Bobby Murphy has coached bigger games in front of larger crowds, but that match against CD Faislense was special.
“I was the head coach of Orlando in the Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta in front of 65,000 one night, and I wasn't nearly as nervous that night as I was for that first Open Cup game because it was so personal,” Murphy said. “You're so close to everyone, and you know how much has gone into it that you don’t want to fall flat on your face on opening night.”
"The one thing that I'm really trying to guard them from is all the hype that's surrounding them.” - Bobby Murphy
Hearts have done a lot right since their start.
They’ve connected with the locals by holding events and partnering with organizations, launched beautiful kits praised worldwide, and set a record for the most season tickets sold by a USL League One expansion franchise.
In many ways, they’ve become the darlings of USL League One, a massive accomplishment for such a young team.
But Murphy recognizes that results matter in professional soccer. He addressed this after Rhode Island FC knocked them out of the U.S. Open Cup.
"The one thing that I'm really trying to guard them from is all the hype that's surrounding them," Murphy said after the narrow 2-1 loss. "Aren't their jerseys cute? Their social media is awesome. Aren't they great?
"We have work to do. I think it's a wonderful story. I think it's amazing, what's been accomplished in a short amount of time, from top to bottom. But inside that room, [the players] can't lose sight of the fact that this is a result-oriented business. We have to get results.”
Hearts haven’t had an easy schedule, as they had to balance the U.S. Open Cup and league play. Their home cup games were played in Lewiston, while league games were in Naples, FL, Spokane, WA, and Statesboro, GA, amounting to over 5,000 miles of travel.
The club, which is 0-1-2, is now preparing to play its first-ever home game at Fitzpatrick Stadium on Sunday.
With the historic occasion just days away, Murphy isn’t feeling the same nerves that he felt in Lewiston.
He and his players are ready for the moment.
“We’re just excited,” Murphy said. “I think everybody is ready for this. I think it’s been a long time since we started preseason, and then the stop-start nature of the first six weeks of what we’ve been going through.
“It just feels like the last first we have to go through before we really get going. We’ve had a lot of firsts, and this will be the last big one. Then we can get down to the business of the season and hopefully picking up some points.”