Ching will not retire, will report to Montreal team

Recommended Video:

If the Dynamo listed the most important players to invite to the inaugural game at BBVA Compass Stadium, goalkeeper Pat Onstad and Dwayne DeRosario would be near the top along with team icon Brian Ching.

Ching still hopes to walk out of the tunnel at the opener for the Dynamo's new stadium, but in the meantime he has decided against retiring. Despite contemplating retirement after he was selected in the expansion draft last November, he will report to camp with the Montreal Impact.

Onstad, who is DC United's goalkeeper's coach, and 2011 MLS MVP DeRosario will face the Dynamo when the new soccer-specific stadium opens.

"I think the fans will treat (Onstad) like one of our own when he comes," Ching said. "He's part of the reason the Houston Dynamo were so successful. He's part of the reason the Houston Dynamo have a new stadium.

"I would have loved to have seen him walk out that tunnel as a player. The next best thing is walking out of that tunnel as part of MLS as a coach."

With numerous spectacular saves, Onstad helped the Dynamo win consecutive titles in 2006 and 2007. Ching has been equally important as the face of the organization on the pitch and in the community.

Ching, who scored the franchise's first goal in Houston in 2006 and the last at Robertson Stadium in the 2011 MLS Eastern Conference semifinals, has decided to put off retirement for at least a year.

"I've decided I'm not going to retire," Ching said after MLS released its 34-game schedule. "I'll report to Montreal when camp opens."

The Dynamo's all-time leading scorer and former U.S. national team forward led the franchise to three MLS Cup appearances and two titles since the team moved to Houston from San Jose after the 2005 season. By starting the MLS Cup final Nov. 20 against the Los Angeles Galaxy, Ching, 33, triggered his $450,000 guaranteed option for the 2012 season.

Because Ching's 2012 option is pricey by MLS standards, the Dynamo gambled that the Impact wouldn't pick him when he was exposed in the expansion draft. Montreal coach Jesse Marsch made Ching the first pick in the draft.

The Dynamo, who will open at Chivas USA on March 11 and play their first seven games on the road, made it clear after the expansion draft that they would try to re-acquire Ching. Barring a trade, though, Ching has a chance to face his former club three times – June 23 in Montreal and July 21 and Oct. 6 at BBVA Compass.

With or without Ching, the May 12 opener will be special for Onstad.

"That's the first game, right? Wow," Onstad said. "First of all from a coaching standpoint it's not really the game you want, is it? From our standpoint it's a sarcastic, 'great.' For me from a personal standpoint, though, it's great.

"I was going to try to see if there was a way to go. This makes it a lot easier. It will be nice to be there and see a lot of familiar faces."

The feeling is mutual.

"You wish that the guys that moved from San Jose could all be there (for the opener)," coach Dominic Kinnear said. "You'd like for that to happen because when we left San Jose the hope was that we could move into a new stadium.

"Sadly, not a lot of those guys are on the team anymore. But I think it works out well that two of the guys who were instrumental to the team in San Jose and Houston will be here in Pat and Dwayne. You talk about the great players who have played for Dynamo, Pat and Dwayne would definitely have to be a part of the conversation."