Editor’s Note: This piece was written by new Indomitable City Soccer contributor Jeff Shunta.

For many clubs, just making the playoffs is a sign of a successful season and generally portends a bright future. However, when you are the reigning USL champions it may seem to be a minor letdown to some fans. Now that the last whistle has been blown and free agent signings are in full-swing, it is important to see how the changes being made will impact a club with its sights on a 2nd USL championship in 3 years. There have already been big losses this off-season, including the loss of the most prominent and widely embraced player in Republic FC’s history, Rodrigo Lopez.

As Republic FC fans have known for a few months now, Lopez has left the adoring arms of the passionate Sacramento fanbase to follow the allure of showcasing his talent at a higher level. A 2014 All-USL First Team member and 5-time member of the USL Squad of the Week in 2015, Lopez brought a dynamic style of play that other coaches simply had to plan for. It is rare to see a USL player embody the competitive and passionate spirit of his team’s fans and serve as a true face of the franchise.

With Lopez’s departure, the Republic will lose a significant amount of its offensive output - roughly 22% across all competitions - including goals scored, assists provided, and chances crated. The impact only increases if one considers the deft passing that he brought each night. This isn’t to say that the Republic’s goal scoring will fall by 22%, but it certainly does raise the question of who will step up to fill his shoes.

Thankfully, a possible replacement exists thanks to the Republic’s re-signing of midfielder Danny Barrera, who on many occasions this past season emulated Lopez’s catalytic influence. Republic fans can continue to count on seeing strong possession skills and a knack for creative and precise passing this upcoming season as Barrera will facilitate much like Lopez did, albeit with a few more question marks as to how he will fill the stat sheet.

One could argue that in the limited time the two played together that play in the midfield seemed duplicative, often causing a condensing of proper spacing that lessened overall productivity. However, the potential pairing of Barrera with stud midfielder Ivan Mirkovic will certainly make for entertaining football and likely help to bring the success that Republic fans have come to expect.

Unfortunately for the Republic, Lopez was not the only significant departure this offseason. Mickey Daly, who led the Republic in minutes played and served as the cornerstone of an above-average defense, recently left to join Bethlehem Steel FC. While not as glaring a loss in terms of counting stats, retaining Daly was one of the team’s top priorities as his reliable and stout defense was vital to the success the Republic had achieved in the last 2 seasons. The only glaring weakness one could find with Daly was his propensity to have trouble with more fleet-footed attackers. For much of his time in Sacramento, aggressive through-balls in the air or on the ground seemed to be the only times that he was beaten. Hopefully someone aside from the equally strong Nemanja Vuković will take a leap forward and help solidify the walls of the Republic’s castle.

Heading to the Steel along with Daly is young forward Gabe Gissie, who seems to be on the cusp of real greatness and a possible future in higher leagues. One can dream all day about the potential he flashed on occasion last season, which is why his loss could end up being one of the most painful of all for Republic fans, especially if he strikes it big in MLS or elsewhere.

Perhaps softening the blow is the recent re-signing of Adnan Gabeljic who may help the offense significantly — if one believes in the praise that manager Paul Buckle recently passed his way. While Gabeljic has earned the praise of Buckle and others, he has yet to be fully proven on the pitch.

Republic fans have had a taste of championships and now crave a repeat in as many seasons as possible going forward. A reason for hope on that front can be found in the signing of former OKC Energy goalkeeper Evan Newton. While Patrick McLain was a steady keeper for the team last season — though it could be very easily argued that he was outplayed by Dominik Jakubek — the addition of one of the USL’s top goalkeepers is a huge get for the Republic. One of the finalists for the USL Goalkeeper of the Year award, Newton will tangibly help improve Sacramento’s defense. He posted 10 clean sheets and had a stingy 1.22 GAA last season. Defensive success starts with the last defender and the Republic just acquired a major upgrade in that area.

Overall, the upcoming season and future for the Republic FC looks bright and fans can certainly expect to see a competitive squad fight for a playoff berth once again. While major changes have occurred this offseason, the growth of the remaining players and the addition of a top goalkeeper provide more than enough reasons to believe that 2016 could be another magical year.

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