The Houston Dynamo have had an eventful few months since their season ending defeat in the MLS Cup Final. Their captain Brian Ching was left unprotected in the expansion draft and was taken by the Montreal Impact. Ching voiced his displeasure over playing in Montreal and even said he would retire but was taken anyway by the Impact. Ching is still looking to be traded back to Houston but has since changed his mind on retirement. The Dynamo also acquired midfielder Nathan Sturgis from Toronto and announced the opening of their new stadium on May 12 and its name, BBVA Compass Stadium.
One last thought on Ching. It’s time to let go Dynamo fans. As each day passes it is looking less likely that Ching will be making his return to Houston. He’s a Dynamo legend and the best player in franchise history but it’s time to turn the page. Ching is only getting older and he has bad knees. The front office left him umprotected in the expansion draft knowing there was a possibility he would be gone. Now he is. The Ching Era is over in Houston. As much as it hurts some fans, in the end it’s likely for the better.
Now on the eve of the MLS SuperDraft the Dynamo will look to possibly add some pieces to a team expected to contend again in 2012 for the MLS Cup. With the second to last pick (18th in both the first and second rounds, the player or players they take will likely not be huge impact guys. I would not be surprised at all to see Dominic Kinnear and the Dynamo try and move up in the draft is there is someone there that they covet but the Dynamo FO has said lately that they do not expect to use this draft to restock the roster. Last year Houston moved up in the draft and selected 2 players in the first round, Will Bruin and Kofi Sarkodie, both of whom saw action in 2011 with Bruin becoming a fixture in the team.
With the core of the team intact the Dynamo may instead look for young players who could project to players down the road. With Ching now gone and a big hole at forward they could look that way with their first pick. Dom Dwyer, a Generation adidas player from South Florida is a possibility as he brings a goal scoring ability that could help the Dynamo off the bench. With their second round pick I would look at Houston possibly taking a backup goalkeeper or a wing player who can play both midfield and defense.
The Dynamo won’t get a huge boost in talent in the 2012 SuperDraft like they did in 2011 but coach Kinnear has a habit of finding gems. While Dynamo fans may not immediately know who their draft picks are, if history is any indication, they may come to know them quickly. The possibility of a trade is always there as well, as it will be a fun draft to watch for fans of Houston and the MLS.
(image courtesy of houstondynamo.com)
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