Despite the foggy skies, things are heating up in the Capital City. After 79 days, Republic FC is back on the pitch to begin preparations for the 2026 season. It’s full steam ahead as the squad prepares for Opening Night and its pursuit of another trophy.
“It’s great to be back,” said Head Coach Neill Collins. “In the first week, we usually just want to get back at it, but we also have to been mindful that the players have had a couple of months off, so right now we’re just trying to prepare them for what’s ahead.”
Last year, Collins stepped into his new role with a near-complete roster featuring several players who had been with the club for multiple seasons. But in 2026, the Indomitable Club is entering a new chapter. Collins and club have brought in nine new faces with the potential to add more on the horizon.
It’s the largest influx of new talent the club has seen in years, but Collins is confident that he’s found the right blend of experienced veterans and new talent to push the team to new heights. “I think we’ve got guys that have a good knowledge of the things we did last year, so we’ve still got a good base. But for the new lads coming in, the goal this early is to just get them to find their feet. Obviously, they’ll still need time to get comfortable in a new environment on and off the pitch, but it’s just good to have that fresh competition.”
Two newcomers have already made their entrance known. In an 11v11 intersquad friendly that closed out the first week of camp, Forster Ajago and Pierre Reedy found the back of the net. They were joined in the scoresheet by Blake Willey and Da’vian Kimbrough, who represent a young core of players who impressed the gaffer early on.
“The young players have just come in and hit the ground running,” said Collins. “When you’re young, and still building your career, you’ve really got to come into camp on the front foot because you’re working to be at the same level as the senior players around you. So to see that our young guys have put in the work to show up like this at the start, it’s just really exciting.”
Now with Week 1 in the books, Coach Collins and the technical staff will begin to turn the dial before a closed-door scrimmage against Oakland Roots on January 31.
