The Houston Dynamo have re-signed evergreen defender DaMarcus Beasley for the 2019 season to help them with their grueling schedule. He really is the epitome of class.
With the return of DaMarcus Beasley, the Houston Dynamo continue to shore up a defense that was their undoing last season.
In spite of the fact that they had already acquired Aljaž Struna, Chris Duvall, and Matías Vera, the Dynamo needed to sign another left-back in order to provide Adam Lundkvist with some competition.
They wisely chose to re-sign the four-time FIFA World Cup veteran, who helped the club capture its third domestic championship in September, the 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, which also clinched the club a 2019 CONCACAF Champions League berth.
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Dynamo Senior Vice President and General Manager Matt Jordan, and Head Coach Wílmer Cabrera put it best in the official press release. Jordan stated:
"“He is a key leader in our team, and a true professional in every sense of the word. His winning mentality and quality as a player will be important for our group as we prepare for the 2019 season.”"
And Cabrera added:
"“The Dynamo have to face a very challenging schedule [in 2019] and DaMarcus has been an outstanding pillar for our team, helping us create a mentality of competing to win at all times. His consistency over his career shows not only his talent, but also his professionalism and dedication.”"
Beasley has been among the best at his position in Major League Soccer since making a return to the shores of the United States in July 2014. But as Cabrera noted, Beasley’s consistency is what has been most impressive. At 36 years of age, the Fort Wayne, Indiana native started 26 regular season matches last season, scoring a goal and adding two assists. There have been concerns in recent years as to whether Beasley would be able to hold up athletically, but for the most part, his experience and class have nullified the issues brought about by his declining athletic ability.
It will be interesting to see who Cabrera chooses as his starter against Real Salt Lake on opening day. Beasley has enjoyed a legendary career, but the Dynamo acquired Lundkvist from IF Elfsborg midway through last season with the ultimate hope that he would be able to supplant their captain.
The Swedish defender endured some growing pains in his first MLS campaign, but part of that can be attributed to the fact that he was often deployed at right-back, as the Dynamo searched for some stability in the absence of the injured A.J. DeLaGarza.
Lundkvist is your typical modern-day full-back. He is a much better attacker than he is a defender. Nonetheless, if Lundkvist is made the starter, Beasley is the perfect resource for him to learn from. Besides having made 112 Houston Dynamo appearances, Beasley is one of the most decorated players in American soccer history and has played all over the world.
Nonetheless, the Dynamo have to see whether Lundkvist is good enough to succeed the longest-tenured left-back in club history, otherwise his signing – especially considering his supposed price tag – was completely pointless.
The Houston Dynamo made a wise decision in re-signing DaMarcus Beasley. Whether or not he is a starter in 2019 remains to be seen, but Beasley’s experience and class will undoubtedly continue to serve Las Naranjas well.