USMNT player to watch

As a weekly post, I’ll be taking a look at key players on the U.S. men’s national team. I will be expecting these players to play pivotal roles for the team throughout the World Cup qualification process as well as the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.


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No team can win without being solid in the back. Every team needs someone they can rely on to make up for their mistakes. The most important player on every team is the goalkeeper and the U.S. has a solid one in Tim Howard.

He’s got all the attributes. At 6-foot-3-inches, he’s an agile big man that has the intelligence and reflexes to match. He is quickly becoming the next great U.S. keeper. He could already be the best that our country has ever seen and he has yet to debut on the world’s biggest stage.

He began his professional career in the MLS with the New York/New Jersey Metrostars in 1998. Throughout his years in the MLS he’s split time with NY/NJ and the U.S. youth national teams. In 2000, he was a member of the U-23 team that finished fourth at the Olympic Games in Sydney. The following year, he became the youngest player in MLS history to win the Goalkeeper of the Year Award.

After back-to-back successful campaigns in 2001 and 2002, Howard made to this day one of the biggest transfers in MLS history. The move sent him English giant Manchester United, where he quickly became the team’s number one keeper.

After a tremendous 2003-2004 season, Howard was voted EPL Goalkeeper of the Year, becoming the second straight U.S. keeper to be awarded with the honor. After an up-and-down second season, where he saw his time being split, Howard was offered a contract extension, which he accepted, later learning that team was not looking at keeping him as their top choice.

United signed Dutch international, Edwin van der Sar, arguably one of the game’s top keepers at time. The move enraged Howard who is typically not an outspoken individual. In May of 2006, Man U agreed to loan their unhappy backup to Everton. Howard was the replacement they were looking for after the retirement of Nigel Martyn. He has been a mainstay in goal for the Merseyside club since the move, making his stay permanent in 2007 after the two sides agreed on a transfer.

After splitting starting time as the national team’s keeper in 2007, Howard has clearly taken over the full-time starting spot for the U.S. in 2008. Despite the progression of Brad Guzan, it is expected that the experience and abilities of Howard will keep him in the top spot through South Africa.

With Howard manning the net and making up for the mistakes of those in front of him, U.S. fans shouldn’t have any worries about that spot. He’s rock solid between the pipes and should come up huge from time to time during the next couple years.