Houston Dynamo Odds & Ends - March 1, 2012

The 2013 MLS season starts tomorrow, Saturday March 2nd, and the Houston Dynamo will be hosting D.C. United at BBVA Compass Stadium. Click here to purchase tickets. It's been a somewhat busy week for the Dynamo as they get ready for the new season and another shot at the MLS Cup.

Contracts have been a big issue this week with Brian Ching and Mike Chabala getting new contracts and Chris Canetti getting a contract extension.

Brian Ching signed his new contract sometime within the past 24 hours. This is a one season contract, and it is clear that this will be Brian Ching's final season as a player for the Houston Dynamo, but that doesn't mean that the native of Haleiwa, Hawai’i (on the lovely island of O'ahu) will be leaving the Dynamo after this season. The contract provides that Ching will be a player/assistant coach, opening the door to a future on the coaching staff or being in the front office.

Ching was a member of the old San Jose Earthquakes team that made the move to Houston in 2006, and his long tenure and star power here in Houston puts him the same realm of former Astros players Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell.

“We are happy to keep Brian on the team,” said Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear. “Throughout his career, Brian has been a key part of who we are. He has also been an important player on the field and in the locker room.”

“(Houston) is where I always wanted to be,” said Ching. “I was completely optimistic that we would get this deal done. I wanted to come back and play again, so I’m looking forward to continuing the same role I finished the season with last year and hopefully making a difference on the field.”

“It’s nice to formally wrap up Brian’s contract for 2013. Having him here was never in question; it just took some time to iron out the details. He is an integral part of our club today and will be into the future,” said Dynamo president Chris Canetti.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Houston Dynamo CEO Chris Canetti signed a contract extension that will keep him as the team's President for three more years. Canetti first joined the Dynamo front office when he became the Chief Operating Officer in 2006, and was promoted to President when Oliver Luck left the role to become the Athletic Director at the University of West Virginia in 2010.

“Under Chris’ leadership, the Dynamo have not only achieved some of the most successful seasons (on and off the pitch) in MLS history, they have truly been a model franchise for all of professional sports,” said Tim Leiweke, President & CEO, AEG, managing partners, Houston Dynamo. “While waiting years to open one of the great soccer stadiums, Chris continued to set records for attendance and revenue and now, with BBVA Compass Stadium, we have no doubt that with Chris guiding the organization, the best is yet to come for the Houston Dynamo franchise and their fans.” Leiweke continued: “On behalf of Oscar De La Hoya, Gabriel Brener, and Phil Anschutz, we could not be more pleased to ensure that Chris will remain with the Dynamo for years to come.”

“I am honored and privileged to have the opportunity to continue to lead this great club into what is a very bright future,” said Canetti. “I love coming to work every day and am committed to helping the Dynamo achieve the highest levels of success. I’d like to thank our ownership group for its confidence in me and for all of the support they have given over the years.”

An old face signed a new contract with the Houston Dynamo, it was announced on earlier this week that Mike Chabala, who was invited to trial with the club during preseason, and will now be much needed depth on the back line. Read more about Chabala rejoining the Dynamo at Dynamo Theory.

On Monday, the Dynamo unveiled their new jerseys:

This season will mark the first season the Dynamo have included the Texas flag on their kit.

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Chabala on Trial with Houston Dynamo

Thanks to a tweet by Dynamo midfielder Brad Davis yesterday morning, it was clear that something was going on between the Dynamo and former Dynamo Defender Mike Chabala. My early speculation was that the Dynamo signed the free agent who had been traded away to Portland back in 2011; however, it appears, according to Dynamo Theory, that Chabala has only been invited to the Dynamo preseason camp for a trial.

Familiarity with the Dynamo system and what Coach Dominic Kinnear expects from players suggests that Chabala has a good shot at making it back onto the squad. Chabala's internal drive will play a big part too, seeing that this might be one of his last opportunities to make it onto an MLS team before the start of the 2013 season.

According to Dynamo Theory, Scottish forward Callum Elliot is also on trial with the Houston Dynamo. From 2004 through 2012, Elliot was with Heart of Midlothian F.C., but spent much of that time on loans to clubs like Motherwell, Dundee, and Livingston. Most recently, Elliot was in Lithuania with VMFD Žalgiris Vilnius.

Michael Chabala Returning to Houston Dynamo?

While there has not been an official statement from the Houston Dynamo, based on this tweet by Brad Davis it appears that Michael Chabala is returning to the Houston Dynamo.

The Dynamo drafted the defender in the 4th round of the 2006 MLS SuperDraft, but did not make his MLS debut until 2009 against RedBull New York. Chabala ultimately made 47 appearances for the Dynamo before he was traded to the Portland Timbers in July of 2011. Subsequently, in 2012, Portland traded Chabala to D.C. United, who declined his contract option for 2013.

Since Chabala obtained free agent status after going undrafted in the 2012 re-entry draft, if the Dynamo did sign him, the Dynamo did not have to give anything up to make the deal. In light of that, along with the fact that the Dynamo need back line depth and Chabala is already familiar with Dominic Kinnear's system, this seems like a no-brainer of a preseason signing.

I'll update this as more details become available.

Dynamo Ruin John Spencer's Return to Houston, with 2-1 Win over Portland Timbers

Sunday night's match between the Houston Dynamo and Portland Timbers at Robertson Stadium in Houston began at a frenetic pace, with Portland looking like it was going to get an early goal, but despite the numerous early shots on goal by the Timbers, it was the Dynamo who scored first, with Adam Moffat picking up a golazo, against his former team, in the 17th minute. It only took another 10 minutes for the Dynamo to get their second goal, this time thanks to team captain, Brian Ching. Ching's goal proved to be the game winner as Portland prevented Tally Hall from keeping a clean sheet when Jack Jewsbury scored in the 56th minute.

Sunday marked the return to Houston of Timbers coach John Spencer, who was an assistant coach under Dominic Kinnear until last season, and Mike Chabala and Lovel Palmer, who the Dynamo recently traded to Portland for Adam Moffat and allocation money.

Thanks to the three points they picked up on Sunday night, the Dynamo are now tied in third place, on 31 points, in the East with RedBull New York. On Wednesday, the Dynamo head to New England and then host Real Salt Lake on Saturday.

Episode 18 of The Zygo Soccer Report - Thierry Henry Comes to MLS & Houston

On Saturday July 31, 2010, Thierry Henry made his MLS debut with RedBull New York as they faced the Dynamo at Robertson Stadium in Houston, Texas. The game ended in a 2-2 draw, with Henry having roles in both of New York's goals. This episode includes post match audio from Tally Hall, Brian Mullan, Mike Chabala, Thierry Henry, Juan Pablo Angel, Hans Backe, and Dominic Kinnear.

Please click the link below to view it.
http://zygosoccerreport.podomatic.com/entry/2010-08-01T19_20_36-07_00

Or Use this Player:

New Faces at the Dynamo

Several new faces joining the Houston Dynamo family this week, not only Oscar De La Hoya and Gabriel Brener, but also new forward Franco Caraccio joins the team this week.

For those of you who work in or near downtown Houston, this Friday there will be a rally at Jones Plaza between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., to welcome the new part-owners who will be in town to ink the final deal.

Good news for Dynamo fans: Oliver Luck has stated that the new part-owners have indicated that they do not forsee making or urging any management changes, meaning that the Dynamo ship will still be guided by Luck.

And to close with the bad news, while much of Houston is grieving over the broken foot of the Yao, young Dynamo player Mike Chabala suffered a broken foot during the match against Gamba Osaka.