After threatening to retire if he was picked up in the 2011 MLS Expansion Draft (which he was, first overall, by Montreal), MLS stalwart Brian Ching has changed his mind. He told the Houston Chronicle on Thursday that he would, indeed, be reporting to camp for Montreal. The 33-year-old has 96 goals in 220 appearances for L.A., Seattle (USL), San Jose and Houston, as well as 11 goals in 45 appearances for the U.S. men's national team.
Some believe Montreal acquired Ching with the intent of trading him back to Houston, in exchange for Quebec-born defender Andre Hainault. Those beliefs were bolstered by the perception that the Dynamo hoped Ching, a former face of the franchise, would be able to take part in the hoopla surrounding the opening of the team's new stadium this year.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
Ching's decision to continue his MLS career should bring into clearer focus whether or not there is (or ever was) any merit to the speculation surrounding the intentions of the two clubs.