Although the 2015 Sacramento Republic FC season was one of ups and downs, there were individuals that impressed throughout the season and distinguished themselves among their teammates. What we at ICS are curious about is: which of these players proved themselves to be the most integral to the success of the team? Who was the Most Valuable Player for Republic FC in 2015?
In order to narrow things down, we selected four players as MVP candidates: Justin Braun, Rodrigo Lopez, Mickey Daly, and Ivan Mirković. Braun, Lopez, and Daly were highlighted as Forward, Midfielder, and Defender of the Year in the most recent Beeman’s Republic podcast, while Mirkovic narrowly missed out on being selected as Midfielder of the Year but was integral enough to be an MVP candidate.
2015 was ICS Forward of the Year Justin Braun’s best year in a Sacramento Republic uniform. Not only did he play significantly more minutes in league play this season than last (1300 in 2014, 1855 in 2015), but he also doubled his offensive output by knocking in 8 goals.
ICS Midfielder of the Year Rodrigo Lopez was without a doubt Sacramento Republic’s MVP in the 2014 season, and for the first part of 2015 it looked as though he would be a shoo-in for the second year in a row. However, after receiving a 3 game suspension in a match against OKC, Lopez entered a bit of a slump. Despite that midseason slump, he found his form toward the end of the season and still managed to lead the team in both goals and assists for the second year in a row (10 goals, 5 assists in league play).
ICS Defender of the Year Mickey Daly was a solid defensive presence for Sacramento Republic at center back, anchoring the best defense in the Western Conference. Daly’s aerial prowess, strong defensive play, and near constant presence on the field made him an integral part of the Republic’s successes this past season.
While Ivan Mirković did not beat Rodrigo Lopez for the title of ICS Midfielder of the Year, the competition was close enough that he still deserves to be in the running for MVP. Mirković is the teeth in the Sacramento Republic midfield, the tough as nails defensive presence that makes it difficult for teams to go up the middle against the Republic. He also scored his first professional goal this season in spectacularly dramatic, if fortunate, fashion.
Who was Sacramento Republic FC’s MVP for the 2015 season? Let your voice be heard by voting in the poll below. We also encourage you to expand on your vote down below in the comments and tell us why you chose the way you did.
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