Dynamo fans can breathe a little easier ‘- Brian Ching signed an extension Friday to remain with the club through the 2013 season.’
Since breaking into the league, Ching has become one of the most decorated players in MLS and helped lead the Dynamo to back-to-back championships in 2006 and 2007.
This extension is especially important given the financial makeup of MLS. The salaries for the top players in the league, like Ching, are not proportionally greater than those of average players to the extent of other sports. Players usually have to go overseas to cash in on their abilities on the pitch.’
Like most players, Ching played the field during the upturn of his career, but has reiterated his desire to stay in Houston and help the sport grow domestically.’
Ching has consistently performed well on the pitch since the team’s inception.’ He validated his worth by scoring four goals in the Dynamo’s first game in Houston.’ Since then, he has led the club in goals, and also earned the title of MVP during their first championship run. ‘
To add to his r’eacute;sum’eacute;, Ching earned a spot on the World Cup U.S. National Team for the second time. He will be joined by fellow Dynamo teammates Stuart Holden and Ricardo Clark.
Of the current players on the U.S. roster, seven started their careers playing in MLS before moving on to more recognizable teams in Europe.
Nevertheless, Ching said in a recent interview that he could not imagine playing for any other team.’ He mentioned how he believed in his club, the coaching staff, and most importantly, the fans.’ He knows he could be playing in front of larger crowds every weekend in England or Italy, but he chose to stay and play for the hometown fans at Robertson Stadium, which is very rare in professional sports.’
Financial terms were not disclosed, but an increase in pay is likely. Ching will be 35 years old when his contract expires, and he has essentially decided to give his last top years to Houston- an act that will surely be appreciated by the fans.
Houston is currently in first place in the Western Division with only three regular season games remaining until the playoffs. While Ching is already a key component in this year’s playoff push, having him under contract for four more years could give fans plenty of playoff games to root for.
