It doesn’t surprise me that Steve Nicol has added Brian Ching to the All Star roster. Winning results and top teams sometimes get more players placed. His two consecutive goals have helped the Dynamo secure important wins.
His finish Sunday (thanks Fred of DC United for not getting out and keeping Ching onside) provided the difference vs. DC United.
Yet on the night it was not Ching’s aerial display that wowed fans, it was his playmaking and passing skills. For a moment I thought I was watching a true number 10 .
He seemed to be having alot of fun turning into a provider as opposed to just fighting it out in and around the penalty area.
On my recent show the Dynamo Soccer Report on Channel 55 I did a piece on Ching that showed his different qualities as a player.
Hold up play around the box, able to create on his own in the box, movement and his ability to pass the ball. Who can forget the great ball he made to Landon Donovan after checking back in midfield and then running 60 yards to get the return pass.
Sunday night Ching again reminded us that he is not one dimensional. Something that is not lost on Steve Nicol.
I am sure Nicol had a conversation with his assistant coach Paul Mariner(former England striker) on selecting Ching.
What are your thoughts on the All Star selections and Ching.

Last night one of my guests on the radio show was former New York Cosmos goalkeeper Shep Messing who stated that by 2010 MLS will have expanded to San Diego, Vancouver, Oakland, Seattle, and Philadelphia.
Immediately what flashes in your mind is the over-expansion of the North American Soccer League in it’s heyday. Now MLS made some poor choices in the early years as to where they postioned franchises. And more importantly had leadership issues in many markets.
Tampa Bay and Miami were contracted and never made impacts locally. Even today you might wonder about some of the initial choices …Kansas City and Colorado certainly stick out but if Phil Anschutz and Lamar Hunt wanted teams in those markets you could be sure they were going to be put there. Years of mediocrity, poor marketing, poor teams and small vision with no community involvment have left teams struggling to make their marks in these cities.
What are your thoughts on MLS and expansion.

Brazil has not defeated Uruguay in their last five matches as they head into tonite’s Copa America semi finals.
Julio Baptista and Robinho will try to break down a stingy Uruguay who will look to Diego Forlan and Alvaro Recoba to produce the attacking element. Recoba has missed two games and his fitness is a question which makes one wonder what type of influence he can have. His free kick taking ability is something to marvel at.
Brazil on the other hand started the tournament with their traditional slow start and ran into a motivated Mexico and Nery Castillo and were defeated. In the process they looked very ordinary, some even said bad. Without Kaka and Ronaldinho , Brazil has been led by Robinho who has scored six times. They might just be peaking at the right time.
Uruguay will look to keep this close and will rarely open themselves up tonite.
Tomorrow is a big one with Argentina and Mexico meeting in a re-match of the 2006 World Cup which produced Mexico’s best effort despite losing. Argentina always brings the best out of “El Tri”.
If history continues to prove out this will make for excellent television both tonite and tomorrow.