Sacramento Republic FC heads into new season with a new manager, same lofty goals
With a new ownership group in charge and construction of a downtown stadium underway, Sacramento Republic FC is banking on a fresh start.
The club made bold offseason moves, headlined by the hiring of a new manager tasked with restoring championship glory and delivering Sacramento its first USL title since the team's electric debut season in 2014.
Republic FC kicks off the new campaign Saturday night at Heart Health Park at Cal Expo where they host New Mexico United. Neill Collins takes the helm as the club's new manager, stepping in after Republic and Mark Briggs parted ways in November following a five-year run.
'I set higher expectations on myself than anyone else can,' Collins said after Friday's training session. 'We understand there's been success before in certain regards, but want to try and win somewhere down the line, so that's what we're all trying to achieve. And no one will put more on me than myself.'
Republic FC has entered the last few seasons with championship expectations only to come up short. The team last season dealt with a slew of injuries and finished fifth in the Western Conference before falling in the first round of the playoffs. The year before, they had the West's best regular season record but lost in the semifinals.
Not coming away with a second league championship factored heavily into the club electing not to bring Briggs back despite his popularity. With the Collins, Republic FC hopes his fresh perspective and pedigree will end the decade-long championship spell.
'His history of success in USL, combined with a steady demeanor and well-respected reputation, align with our pursuit of championship hardware,' team president and general manager Todd Dunivant said when the Scotsman was hired.
Collins joins Republic FC after leading the Tampa Bay Rowdies to three straight Eastern Conference Finals, including advancing to the USL Finals in 2020 and 2021. Collins believes his team would have won the USL Championship over Phoenix Rising FC in 2020, but the game was canceled after players and staffers tested positive for COVID-19.
A year later, Collins was named USL Coach of the Year when the Rowdies finished with the top record in the Eastern Conference. The Troon, Scotland, native came to Sacramento shortly after being hired by the Raith Rovers of the Scottish Championship League in September. He also coached Barnsley F.C., a League One team in South Yorkshire, England.
Collins said he's excited to get to know Sacramento's avid fan base, which for years has been considered one of the best in USL.
'It's quite a huge advantage to have 10,000 fans that are passionate. And that's one thing that struck me,' Collins said. 'There are a lot of teams that have fans that support the team because they like to go to the games. Here, they really support the team and they're there win, lose or draw — through thick and thin because they're passionate about football.'
On the field, Sacramento is bringing back mainstays such as Rodrigo Lopez, Russell Cicerone and Lee Desmond. They also have Da'Vion Kimbrough, the 15-year-old who became the youngest professional soccer player in U.S. history when he signed with Sacramento in 2023. It's believed he was the youngest athlete to sign a professional contract in any team sport.
Kimbrough, a Vacaville native who worked through Republic FC's developmental academy, could see more time in 2025 after getting scarce minutes last season. But the team is working to manage expectations despite Kimbrough being one of the most talented teenagers in the country.
'He's just a kid, a really, really young kid,' Collins said. 'I just like the modesty that he's got. He's just a good player, simple as that. He's got some great traits, especially considering he's only 15 years old.'
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