In a move that was rumored to be in the works for the last week or so, Honduran international Hendry Thomas, who should certainly be familiar to those of us here in CONCACAF, finalized his move from Wigan and the sometimes overcast Northwest of England to the crisp air and high skies of the Denver area. Perhaps that's not too bad of a trade, climatologically speaking.
With Colorado currently eleven points adrift of the playoff positions out west, one would hardly be off the mark in saying that this move, much like some of the other ones we've seen around the league in recent weeks, is being made with an eye on next year as opposed to this term. The benefit in that, of course, is that Thomas will be able to get his feet on the ground here in MLS without having to deal with the rigors of a team making a playoff push at this stage of the season. Ergo, he'll be able to start 2013 with a fantastic understanding of the league, its teams, and the often underestimated toll of the cross-continental flights that away matches often entail. Hopping on a bus from Wigan to Bolton is no longer an option.
For Colorado fans, the massive void left by Pablo Mastroeni as a result of his concussion problems will at least begin to be filled, and at a mere 27 years old, his acclimatization to the league could certainly spell a good few years of providing the Rapids with the bite in midfield they've lacked in Mastroeni's absence. Yes, Colorado still needs to bolster other departments of the team in advance of next season if they are to get back into the postseason, but this signing, that of a still young and capable player with fantastic experience on his CV, is very much a step in the right direction. Whether Oscar Pareja will still be around to work with Thomas further obviously remains to be seen.
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