Portland Hearts of Pine Roster Starting to Take Shape
How do the players piece together and what’s left to acquire?
The Portland Hearts of Pines announced two new defenders to their back line.
Nathan Messer comes in from Rhode Island FC after also having a stint in Vermont Green FC. Messer is poised to slot in at left back for the Hearts. He never fit what RIFC was trying to do in the 2024 season, and only appeared in four matches for the Tide.
The left footed Finland center back Samuel Camacho comes to the Hearts from Polish club Flota Świnoujście after 25 appearances for the club in group II of the III liga. It’s the fourth tier of Polish soccer.
Head coach Bobby Murphy has said that Portland will be a young team. He’s currently in the process of acting on just that. Signing young aggressive footballers that are willing to run for each other.
Let’s take a look at what is probably about 50% of the roster come the start of the season, and where some of these players may fit into a 4-2-2-2 formation.
Defense/Keepers:
Let’s get the easy stuff out of the way. We have zero keepers and three defenders announced at this point in time. Let’s place the hard working Mr Jaden Jones-Riley at right back, Samuel Camacho as one of the center backs and Nathan Messer at left back.
Midfield:
Let’s place Michel Poon-Angeron and Patrick Langlois as Hearts of Pine two starting holding midfielders, cutting out danger and keeping the center backs clean.
Langlois played as a starting holding midfielder for Northern Colorado Hailstorm’s run to a Quarter Final defeat in last year’s USL1 season. Michel Poon-Angeron plays a holding midfield role for his country and his old club AC Port of Spain. These positions seem to fit the players strengths, and feel like a pretty decent chance of holding true.
Depending on match day tactics and roster construction we could have a few different options at the No. 10's. Let’s roll with the 50% plan and place the veteran Mikey López on the left and Carthage College’s all time points and goals scored and Stephen King advice seeker Mickey Reilly beside him on the right. Khalid Hersi will be rotating in off the bench in this player group. He’ll be gathering valuable experience early on in the season at the USL League 1 level.
As the forward line gets filled we could see Ollie Wright move back into his natural play making role, but for now this will be our attacking midfielder duo.
Forwards:
The James Madison University graduate Evan Southern is currently the Hearts only forward announced. He will be accompanied by the USL2 record holder for assists in a season Ollie Wright. Wright's strength is as a playmaking No. 10 behind the striker with all his options at his disposal. For this iteration Wright will be our second striker, with the option to rotate back into his more natural role.
Coaching:
The proven record of developing soccer players between head coach Bobby Murphy and assistant coach Alex Ryan is being complimented nicely by a roster of young talented players ready to take that next step. Murphy has said the roster will be young. Perhaps averaging somewhere in that 23-year- old range, even with a 31-year-old Mikey López already signed. This is about two years younger than the average of 24.87 years of age in USL League One in 2024.
In the next few weeks we will learn the rest of the defense, keepers, forward line, and perhaps one or two more midfielders.