The New York Cosmos announced on Monday that midfielder Dane Murphy will retire from playing professional soccer and take on the position of Head Scout and Performance Analyst with the club.
“It was a difficult decision for me since I feel that I can still contribute on the field,” said Murphy. “However, the opportunity as head scout and to become immersed in the technical evaluation and analysis of players was one that I couldn’t pass up.”
Murphy’s history with the Cosmos extends back to 2011. During that time he captained the Cosmos U-23 squad in the USL Premier Development League, coached by current Cosmos Head Coach Giovanni Savarese. Murphy signed with the Cosmos senior team on Feb. 13, 2013. In two seasons he made 10 appearances, four starts and compiled 350 minutes on the field.
In addition to his scouting and analytics responsibilities for the first team, Murphy will also work closely with construction and development of the New York Cosmos B team.
“Dane has been a great professional and a key contributor to the squad,” said Savarese. “As a club that believes in the importance of a family environment within the team, we aim to maintain a connection with players that have been loyal to the organization.
“We’re delighted that Dane has agreed to accept the head scout role as we continue to bolster our club’s sporting department and ability to identify new talent.”
Murphy, 28, was a standout high school player at Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford, Conn. He attended the University of Virginia and began playing for the Cavaliers one year after current Cosmos defender Hunter Freeman graduated. Upon graduating Murphy signed with DC United of Major League Soccer and started 10 matches for United’s reserves squad. In 2009-10 Murphy spent two years in Germany with VfL Osnabrück, making 26 appearances while the team competed in the second and third divisions of German soccer. Prior to joining the Cosmos, he also played regularly for the New York Athletic Club, which fields teams in the National Premier Soccer League and Cosmopolitan Soccer League.
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