Sacramento Republic FC lands new manager with history of success in USL and Europe
Sacramento Republic FC has ended its search for a new manager.
The soccer club on Saturday announced the hiring of Neill Collins, who brings international experience and is a former United Soccer League coach of the year. He becomes the fifth manager in Republic FC history and the successor to Mark Briggs, whom the team parted with in November.
“We are delighted to welcome Neill and his family to Sacramento,” Republic FC president and general manager Todd Dunivant said in a news release. “His history of success in USL, combined with a steady demeanor and well-respected reputation, align with our pursuit of championship hardware. Neill is a proven winner, a fantastic leader, and we have no doubts he is the right man to lead our club forward.”
Collins, 41, has the fifth most wins in USL Championship history with 94 during his six seasons on the sidelines for the Tampa Bay Rowdies, who reached three straight Eastern Conference Finals from 2019 to 2021, and won the conference in 2020 and 2021. Collins was named coach of the year in 2021 after leading the team to the USL’s best record.
Collins in 2023 left Tampa Bay to return to the United Kingdom where he coached the EFL League One club Barnsley FC to a 24-15-13 record. He also coached Raith Rovers FC of the Scottish Championship.
“I first of all would like to thank Todd and Kevin (Nagle) for this fantastic opportunity to join Sacramento Republic. I aim to repay that faith by working hard every day to bring success to for everyone associated with the club,” Collins said in a statement. “Sacramento have been one of the most consistently successful teams in the USL for the past few years and I can’t wait to help build on that platform. I am well aware that Sacramento Republic is more than just what happens on the pitch and I look forward to being part of the community and creating special memories for our fans.”
Republic FC is hoping to ends its 10-year championship drought after winning the USL title in its first year of existence in 2014. The team has regularly been among the league leaders in player salaries and finished in the top five in the Western Conference table in the past three regular seasons.
“Neill is a tremendous addition to our club and his past successes speak for themselves,” Republic FC managing partner Kevin Nagle said. “I’m excited for our fans and city to get to know Neill and support him as we all look to win a championship. “
The club in November announced plans for a new 12,000-seat soccer stadium in the Railyards near downtown in conjunction with the Wilton Rancheria tribe taking over as majority stakeholders. They hope to open the $217-million stadium in 2027 after Sacramento City Council approved the term sheet for the project Nov. 12.
This story was originally published December 21, 2024 at 12:33 PM.
