Following 37 seasons at the helm of Hofstra University men’s soccer, head coach Richard Nuttall is set to retire following the 2025 season. Who is next in line for the job?  

Enter Stephen Roche, an Ireland native and current men’s soccer associate head coach.

Roche was put into soccer at an early age by his family and was influenced by his older brother to play. From there, he took off and ran with the sport, quickly falling in love with it.

“I wanted to play every day,” Roche said. “I’d play on the streets on my own, I’d play with my dad, with my brothers and with my team.” 

As Roche grew up, he found success in soccer, playing for the University College Dublin Football Club before coming to the United States to play for FC New York. Even though he only played in New York for one year, he fell in love with the U.S. and decided to stay to coach youth soccer, while playing semi-professionally. 

“It was the natural job to go into, coaching young kids. I met [Nuttall]. He gave me the opportunity to work at Massapequa Soccer Club,” Roche said. “I fell in love with it straight away.”

As Roche began at Massapequa, he was first assigned to coach 4- and 5-year-olds before working his way up the ranks to the older teams. While seemingly simple, coaching young kids helped Roche develop into the coach he is today. 

“I’m never the loudest person in the room, and sometimes as a coach you need to be that person. So, it almost forces you to come out of your shell,” Roche said. “You’ve got to demand a 4-year-old’s attention. It’s not easy. So, I think it definitely helped.”

Following a handful of years at Massapequa under the direction of Nuttall, Roche heard of an opportunity to coach under Nuttall at Hofstra. Roche interviewed for the job and landed the position, joining the men’s soccer coaching staff in 2016. While he was nervous for the new job, Roche was prepared to get to work for the Pride. 

“I was coming in to learn from [Nuttall and assistant coach Gary Book] first, and then to help them second,” Roche said.

Under Nuttall and Book’s direction, Roche learned a handful of lessons that he still carries with him today. Nuttall taught him how to treat his players and identify when a player needs motivation, discipline or just an arm around the shoulder. On the other hand, Book taught him more of the tactical side of the game.

As Roche developed as a college coach, he worked his way up the ranks within Hofstra’s men’s soccer program. In 2021, Roche was promoted to associate head coach of the Pride.

“It’s nice to get that title change. I think that’s when you realize that the people in the school, [Rick Cole Jr.] as the [athletic director], they believe in you,” Roche said. “You know, it’s kind of them telling you that, you know, they believe you’re of a head coach level.”

During Roche’s time as associate head coach, the Pride won four straight Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) championships from 2021 to 2024. In addition, Hofstra made it to the round of 16 in the NCAA tournament in 2021 and 2023. This season, the Pride finished first in the CAA in regular season play and look to make another postseason run to cap off Nuttall’s career.

“It being [Nuttall’s] last year, it’s just that added motivation. We really want to [win the CAA] to send him out on a high,” Roche said. “If he can win five in a row and then retire, I think he can be pretty proud of what he’s done.” 

Nuttall will certainly leave a legacy on Hofstra’s men’s soccer program, following 37 years of service. In this time, the Pride have won eight conference championships and finished top 25 in the nation three times. Nuttall also received honors of his own, compiling three CAA Coach of the Year awards. 

With the success that the Pride had through Roche’s time as an associate head coach, it is without a doubt that he garnered interest from other schools. Roche noted that there were two times when other schools reached out to him with interest, but he turned down their offers to stay at Hofstra.

“I spoke to a lot of people here. They mentioned that … I would have a good future if I decided to stay here,” Roche said. “And it was me delaying my start as a head coach, but it meant that I got to stay at the place I love, which is Hofstra.” 

While Nuttall had a decorated coaching career, Roche is ready to continue developing what Nuttall has started while also creating his own legacy. One key focus for Roche is to continue having a staff that pushes each other.

“I want to have a staff that can have real conversations, that are not just going to be yes men,” Roche said. “I want to be challenged.” 

Another focus for Roche will be developing a team of the right people, despite if they are a big name. He wants a squad of high character on and off the pitch that is willing to buy into wanting to play and win over anything else. 

“Every one of our 28 players needs to represent our program really well off the field, and that goes back to our selection process,” Roche said. “We do our homework on people. We have a lot of conversations with the recruit and if there’s any sign of them not being the type of character we want, we won’t take them, no matter how talented they are.”

Looking for this type of player has been a struggle in the world of Name Image Likeness deals, but Roche sees players turning down an opportunity for more money as signs of their true character. Senior forward Daniel Burko is an example of the right type of player for the Pride, and the type of player Roche looks to recruit.

“We offered many center forwards the chance to come here and a lot of them said no,” Roche said. “And right at the end of the transfer portal, Burko became available, and we literally signed him in a 24-hour period between offer and him accepting. And I wouldn’t trade him for any other striker in the country.” 

On the field, Roche will be focused on winning games. His top goal is to come out of every match victorious, no matter what it takes to achieve the win. If they have the opportunity to win attractively, he will take it, but winning first will be the mentality.

Roche will also look to help the Pride find a way to take that next step as a team. Hofstra has yet to make it past the round 16 in an NCAA tournament, and that is a challenge Roche is looking forward to taking on.

“We’re trying to play schedules where we’re playing against the best teams in the country so that when it does come to the national tournament, we’re ready to go,” Roche said.

As Roche prepares to take the wheel, he will bring in a new identity and a new lead to the men’s soccer program. With this, Roche wants to ensure that all the way down through the 28th man on the roster, every player feels that the coaching staff is real and cares about each player.