Portland Hearts of Pine named Ray Saari the club’s sporting director. The position was previously held by Bobby Murphy.
“Creating this position is a huge step forward for our club,” said club founder Gabe Hoffman-Johnson in a statement. “We’re committed to building a best in class organization defined by success both on and off the pitch. Adding Ray as Sporting Director will allow us to be more deliberate in how we identify players, construct our roster, and support our coaching staff. He brings experience across recruitment, player development, and roster planning, and adding his knowledge of the USL ecosystem and player pool will strengthen our entire sporting operation.”
Saari arrives in Portland after working with USL Championship side El Paso Locomotive FC. He first joined El Paso’s technical staff in 2023 as the club’s first individual development plan coach before becoming an assistant coach. Saari was then named technical director in November of 2024.
“Creating a winning culture is about the standards you set every day,” Saari said. “It’s about bringing in players and staff who are competitive, who hold themselves and each other accountable and who understand that success is built through the work you put in consistently. You want to create an environment where everyone is pushing in the same direction and where winning becomes a result of the habits and expectations you establish.”
The club noted that by adding Saari as a dedicated sporting director, there is a clearer sporting structure throughout the organization. Saari will lead Hearts’ long-term sporting strategy, including roster construction, recruitment, player development and long-term club building, while Murphy will focus on sporting performance.
