U.S International Ching first pick in MLS Expansion Draft

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MONTREAL—Houston Dynamo forward Brian Ching has said loud and clear that if the Montreal Impact picked him, he would retire. But that didn’t stop the team from taking him as their No. 1 pick in the Major League Soccer expansion draft on Wednesday.

Montreal didn’t select any Toronto FC players.

After the draft, Toronto waived seven players who had been left unprotected: striker Javier Martina; defenders Demitrius Omphroy, Eddy Viator, Kyle Davies; and midfielders Leandre Griffit, Matt Gold and Gianluca Zavarise. Martina scored a highlight-reel goal in Toronto’s home opener in March but fell out of favour and had just one more league goal the rest of the way.

Impact head coach Jesse Marsch, who coached Ching on the U.S. national team, and sports director Nick De Santis hope to convince their No. 1 pick to come to Montreal for the start of the club’s 2012 season. But if that effort fails, the expansion team may use the 33-year-old forward as a bargaining chip with the Dynamo or other clubs that have expressed interest in the man who took home MLS championships in 2003, 2006 and 2007.

“We have the utmost respect for Brian, both as a player and a person,” said Marsch on Wednesday. “He made it clear he does not want to come here, but we think he represents good value. There are teams in the league who think the same thing.

“I want to consider what is best for Brian’s future, but I also want to consider what it best for the future of our club.”

Marsch noted Ching isn’t the first player who said he didn’t want to leave a city.

“But it’s a reality of the business. If you want to be a professional player, you must be open to the possibility of moving. It happens to all players and it will continue to happen. We believe he’s an excellent player. We’d bet on him here. If he doesn’t come, we’ll look at another scenario to improve our club.”

But the hidden treasure among the Impact’s picks may be 20-year-old defender Zarek Valentin, whom USA Chivas selected fourth in the MLS super-draft in 2011.

“There were so many people who were interested in him around the league,” Marsch said, adding Valentin is a player the team is interested in keeping.

Montreal also took Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Jeb Brovsky with its fifth pick.

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