Houston Dynamo striker Brian Ching has had a storied MLS career and is one of the more intriguing names available in this afternoon's MLS Expansion Draft. If the Montreal Impact select him, though, it could create quite the situation.
The 33-year-old Ching told the Houston Chronicle that he'd retire if picked by Montreal, stating his wish to remain in Houston with the franchise he's played for since 2003 and play in the new stadium that is set to open next season.
"I feel like my home is here now," Ching said to the Chronicle. "This is where I want to be — with the Dynamo. I would want to play in the new stadium, and if I can't, it would hurt a lot. But if (the Impact) pick me, I'll be at the new stadium as part of the front office, not as a player."
The Impact could always select Ching, call his bluff and either hope he plays or hold him ransom for trade in an attempt to secure allocation money; however, they would also run the risk that he stays true to his word and hangs up his cleats.
How should Montreal handle the situation? Cast your vote after the jump:
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How did you vote? What would you do if you were in Montreal's position?
Share your thoughts below.
They would also run the risk that he stays true to his word and hangs up his cleats.
Spot on Ned….Now Houston has to do the asking.
poor ching
What a jerk Jesse Marsch is.
He is just forced Ching into retirement.
O_O
They picked Ching.
As I recall, Ching had a really tough time with the move to Houston. He was one of the most vocal Quakes in opposition, citing the climate and his wife’s career. I guess loyalty to Dom Kinnear and team chemistry won out. I would guess that him agreeing to move again is a nonstarter, no matter what team he would end up with.
Whatever makes Ching the unhappiest gets my vote.
I’ve hated the guy ever since he scored on his return to San Jose and mocked the fans by pointing at his Houston badge. As if the fans who did nothing but support him and had their franchise stolen deserved that. Screw him.
Ives I’m I the only one that thinks it’s goofy that they hold the expansion draft the day before Thanksgiving?? Why not wait until the following week to have it and release the names? Some poor guy making 33K a year is about to get on a plane to see his folks and the front office calls: “So Jimmy did you book a return flight back to Califorina??” Yeah you might want to see if you can get that exchanged for one to Montreal once you get to Florida”. Geez got to think this is a tough day for a number of players.
They should ask Houston what they’ll give for Montreal NOT to pick him.
Ching belongs in Houston.
If they picked him, he’d probably cry…again.
Id love if Montreal picked ching just to screw him over, that would be hilarious.
After reading his comments, id respect his wishes and not pick him. I understand where hes coming, he wore his heart on his sleeves for Houston, he deserves to play in the new stadium like petke did here in new york.
wow, you’re really good at sarcasm.
The Impact should be loading up on experienced, younger MLS players to form a core, preferably lower priced ones, to save the big money for the bigger names.
5 posts before a mention of Seattle… get with it! You’re slacking!
Can they pick him? – Yes
Should the Dyn have left him unprotected?- Well…it would have been nice to show they protected people they value…but its not a “we like these guys” list its based on many other factors…is about the game more then just our best 11 or fav 11…so it does make sense to leave him off.
Should they pick him?- No…if a player does not want to play for you its not much good. He cant be there for long term to build around. But I wouldnt pick him just because he is a leader for Houston. He has one year left. He has earned the right, regardless of the draft to just stay and finish with Houston and play his last year in the new stadium especially since he wants to move to the team staff when he is done. So to Montreal maybe you could pick him but 1- Be smart…its not a good pick and 2- Just “be cool” and let him finish the year in the new stadium with Houston
It would be incredibly stupid of Montreal to pick Ching. Why waste an expansion pick on a huge “maybe” with some upside and a lot of downside, when you can take someone else from Houston, like Danny Cruz.
Haha thank you, definitely need a sarcasm font. I would draft him and then force Houston to cough up allocation money since Ching has been a stalwart Dynamo player and it would reflect very poorly to have their bluff called and not make amends to get Ching back.
I’m pretty sure he was not being serious lol
Everyone needs to realize that teams can’t protect everyone and so you evaluate the risk of losing each player. While Ching has been a valuable asset to Houston over the long haul, he is past his prime and expensive. If Montreal wants him it gets you out of paying for him and you don’t look like a jerk.
I have a question too, doesn’t each team get to remove one player from the available pool after each selection, or has that changed? We all know each team can only lose 1 player in this draft. Hopefully, Montreal is looking for the best players available and includes price in their consideration. We’ll know soon.
can it really be called wasting a pick. yes some picks have worked out, but 75% are not even on the team a year later.
Philly has to be the lucky one with letoux.
The owner of the Impact is cheap anyways. I don’t see him spending over 100k on a player. Unless he wants the taxpayers of Montreal / Quebec to pay for it, like he wants them to do for his ugly junkyard stadium gone bad.
+1
That is why you are not a general manager of a professional sports franchise, you would make idiot mistakes.
Houston not protecting Brian Ching in expansion draft
almost a non-issue… why would Montreal select an old striker who clearly does not at all want to play in french-canadia?
They’d never have wanted him anyways.
Pick him and trade him back to Seattle for his final year.
Ching is expensive, injury prone, and unwilling. Not worth the gamble. Houston doesn’t take the bait and he retires you get nothing. Houston doesn’t take the bait and he plays you get and expensive, older, injury prone player. Either way you are banking on Houston wanting him back and you lose if they don’t. Might be a easy way for Houston to remove him as a player if Montreal takes him.
I’d call his bluff just to screw with him. Don’t pick me or I’ll retire? “Waaaahhh, I don’t want to play on that kid’s team because he isn’t my friend.”
Screw him, pick him with your last pick and throw the middle finger at him. This is a business.
The risk is even greater. If you did call his bluff, if it all worked out and he did come play for you at Montreal, what would you have? As much of a consummate professional as he may be you now have a high priced veteran in the locker room that everyone knows doesn’t want to be there. It is a cancer waiting to happen. The only good thing that could possibly come of this is picking him for trade bait, and Houston may well simply say no. The risk to reward ratio is even worse then stated above.
Two things, first why would Montreal want Ching and his salary hit at his age, the guy is at the very end of his career; second if you know the guy does not want to play for you why take him and waste a pick? There are much better options inthis expansion draft than to go after Ching or try to pretend you are Trader Mo.