July 16, 2003

Trifecta (or anti-hat-trick, whichever you prefer).: U.S. Goalie Tim Howard signs with Man U, making three USians playing keeper in the EPL. Are the Red Devils desperate to copy the success of Friedel and Keller or is Howard really a good gamble?

posted by Ufez Jones to soccer at 11:42 AM - 17 comments

That's a good question, and I honestly don't know the answer. Nevertheless, I'd like to add: USA! USA! USA! That is all.

posted by Samsonov14 at 12:03 PM on July 16, 2003

samsonov14: If you're free, I'd be happy to do my next SpoFi Locker Room interview. Are you ready? (apologies for the mini-hijack, Ufez) btw: here's a previous SpoFi post on the Tim Howard-Man U transaction. It went off-topic quickly but there might be some useful info there.

posted by worldcup2002 at 01:25 PM on July 16, 2003

I think this will be a good signing for ManU, especially in the long term. It will take Timmy a little time to get his bearings in the EPL, but he has all the tools to be a very very good keeper. Many long-term watchers of the US Men's team think that he may end up being even better than Friedel (which just boggles my mind).

posted by trox at 01:52 PM on July 16, 2003

The good news is that Carroll will now be available on the cheap, and Blues are looking for a decent keeper. I cannot see your Howard ever getting a game. Fergies judgement when it comes to keepers is as suspect as dear old Enckys ability to gather a back pass. Some famous keeping howlers.

posted by Fat Buddha at 02:21 PM on July 16, 2003

Howard is 24 years old and has never started an important match for the US, so how can he (a) be good enough to start for ManU and (b) wind up even better than Friedel? I realize keepers peak later than scorers but still.

posted by billsaysthis at 03:43 PM on July 16, 2003

OTH, GO USA!!!

posted by billsaysthis at 03:43 PM on July 16, 2003

wc2002, Could have sworn I responded to this already. I can't do it until Monday, or the weekend if you want. Swamped at work, you know.

posted by Samsonov14 at 04:55 PM on July 16, 2003

Maybe he'll win the starting job, maybe he won't. I doubt the success of Friedel and Keller is relevent any more than Pat Jennings was relevent to Man Utd signing Roy Carroll. Good luck to the guy. Now if the USA could produce outfield players, they would be scary. :-)

posted by salmacis at 06:11 PM on July 16, 2003

Well I'd like to see him given a chance. My suspicion is that he's been signed as backup though. Still, he's got a lot of years left in him so who knows?

posted by squealy at 06:38 PM on July 16, 2003

Samsoboy: I will start the interview this weekend. Sometime Saturday, through a drunken stupor. Maybe even Friday, before the drunken stupor. Or maybe amidst it. But, thanks! And btw, Tim Howard will be #3 this season, unless keepers get nutty or hurt. Which is entirely possible w/ Barthez and, to a lesser extent, Carroll.

posted by worldcup2002 at 08:10 PM on July 16, 2003

My question then is this : Anyone recall 16-yr old Eddie Gaven (1st professional goal a few weeks back for MetroStars vs DC in OT)? Apparently he was drafted as a keeper, but the Stars just acquired Chilean First Division standout Jonny Walker to take Howard's place. Is this b/c of Gaven's inexperience or b/c he is too fast to keep @keeper??

posted by crux at 12:13 PM on July 18, 2003

They have people in Chile called Jonny Walker?

posted by worldcup2002 at 12:19 PM on July 18, 2003

Crux, his MetroStars bio page shows him as a midfielder and has him playing at that spot for US U-14 and U-17 teams. On the U-17 team: "one of the team's leading scorers, he totaled 10 goals to go along with eight assists in 2002." No mention of him being a 'keeper.

posted by billsaysthis at 01:00 PM on July 18, 2003

They have people in Chile called Jonny Walker? There was someone in Copenhagen called Huw Morris, at least while I was on holliday there.

posted by salmacis at 05:01 AM on July 19, 2003

And I take it that Huw Morris is some type of alcohol product? Top results on Google show the name as a classic Welsh poet from the 1600s.

posted by billsaysthis at 11:32 AM on July 19, 2003

thanks billST. guess you can't believe everything you hear from game commentary eh?

posted by crux at 06:43 AM on July 21, 2003

crux, no problem. USA needs all the good young players we can develop, I think midfield is a definite need in this age range (although I am admittedly not as well informed on the topic as I'd like).

posted by billsaysthis at 11:32 AM on July 21, 2003

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