Montreal Won Their First Big MLS-Era Move

By J Hutcherson USSoccerplayers

Montreal Moves On
Whatever happens on Thursday at Major League Soccer’s SuperDraft (12pm ET – ESPN2), Montreal has already made the biggest player move. That happened in the expansion draft, when they opted against taking a player’s wishes into account and used a pick on then-Houston forward Brian Ching.

When Ching was left off of Houston’s protected list, he made it clear that retirement was his first option should Montreal pick him. Ching has received substantial media attention in Houston as the face of professional soccer in that city, developing the kind of public sportsman reputation usually associated with players in the bigger team sports. From all appearances, he has a future in that city and the thought from all sides was he’d end his playing career in a Dynamo shirt.

Instead, he became a member – at least on paper – of the Impact, almost immediately letting the public know he informed them prior to the draft that he wouldn’t be leaving Houston. With that public pressure in mind, Houston made the choice to leave him unprotected and, matching gamesmanship with gamesmanship, Montreal went ahead and picked him anyway.

Full Story