Mad Brit Diary

Howard's ascent will have positive effect on American soccer.

(August 8, 2003) -- The Mad Brit apologizes for his recent absence. He was sick, but is now on the rebound thanks to the wonders of a good cuppa and a few Bounty bars (the best candy in the world).

So here goes. . .

You're a young goalkeeper playing in Major League Soccer, a rookie league barely known in the world of international soccer. It's a good league with great promise, but the pay is little and you're ambitious. Like all up-and-coming players, you look in the mirror as you shave, and dream on competing in the big leagues, and one day wearing the jersey of a famous club, say Manchester United.

This was American Tim Howard just months ago. The former MetroStars goalie was good, but had only played a handful of games for the United States national team and still didn't quite register on U.S. coach Bruce Arena's radar. Before his role for the U.S. at the Confederations Cup in France -- when he had already been connected to Manchester United -- Howard had only five U.S. caps. He was playing before an average of 15,822 per game in MLS at the spacious Giants Stadium.

Suddenly a scout from the biggest club on the planet starts checking out the 24-year-old New Jersey player. The scout tells his boss and before the coach has even seen the goalie play, Howard is already signing papers with Manchester United.

Howard is now living the dream. This is an amazing story. Sadly ,so few Americans know about it or understand it.

On July 31, Howard was in the nets for United, making his debut for the Red Devils in a 4-1 win against Italians giants Juventus before 79,000-plus fans at Giants Stadium. And Howard played very well. I mean Hollywood scriptwriters couldn't have come up with this script. Three days later, Howard again played a stunning game for United as Manchester beat Spanish giant Barcelona 3-1 before 68,000 at Philadelphia.

United coach Ferguson was impressed. "Tim has been fantastic in his two games for us," Ferguson told the press. "And he's impressed me much more than I thought he would. It's one thing saying he's impressive, but is he our No.1? I can say the signs are much better than expected. He's settled in right away. He's got that American thing about him that he wants to win. So he could very well be the one. He's a real character and that's what you need at a club like Manchester United. You can't be a mouse here, whatever position you play in."

Three months ago, Howard was a nobody on the international scene. Now, Unitedīs following of 53 million worldwide is wondering whether the American will be the United's starting keeper when the 2003-2004 English Premier League season starts on August 16.

Howard first has to beat out French international Fabian Barthez and Roy Carroll to get the starting spot, but his coolness in the last two games proved he had the talent. Barthez, Caroll and Howard are all battling to start in goal against Arsenal in Sunday's Community Shield.

If Howard did start in goal for United, he would be the third American starting in the EPL, joining Brad Friedel (Blackburn Rovers) and Kasey Keller (Tottenham Hotspur). It would be an amazing statement about American soccer players.

O.K., so Howard's two games so far were just exhibition games, but pray tell, how many players get to make their debuts before nearly 80,000 fans against the Italian champion and keep their cool. And didn't Barthez give up three against Sporting Lisbon this week?

The question now is can the American face a 38-game season, week in and week out, in the EPL under the scrutiny of the unforgiving British fans. Unitedīs home stadium Old Trafford fills up with 67,000 fans for all of its home games. If Howard achieves this, he would be the most famous American player and one youngsters in the States can look up to, especially black kids who tend more to play basketball. If Howard, Friedel and Keller can play in one of the biggest leagues in the world, what's stopping others Yanks.

Howard's success could also register with fringe fans. Manchester United is already well known to the general populace after the media flurry recently over David Beckham's move to Real Madrid. One can even imagine a New York Yankees fan, in the seventh-inning stretch mentioning to his buddy, "Hey, there's a Jersey kid playing for that big soccer club Manchester United."

"No kidding, a Jersey kid."

"Yeah, no kidding."

The BBC reports this is the 81st contest for the Community Shield, known originally as the FA Charity Shield, and contested by the league champion and FA Cup winners in modern times. Man. United beat Queens Park Rangers in a replay to win the first ever contest in 1908.

The Mad Brit is feeling good about David Beckham's impressive early efforts for his new bosses at Real Madrid. Beckham scored a goal on one of his trademark free kicks in Madrid's 3-0 victory at FC Tokyo this week and steadily controlled the midfield in place of French star Zinedine Zidane.

Beckham also created goals for Ronaldo and Raul as Real beat a combined China and Hong Kong side 4-2 in Hong Kong.

Rick McDonald says: "Hey Mad Brit, you're cool and all, but you ramble a bit and whoever said the U.S. was a also-ran in soccer is an IDIOT. No, I do not believe that we are at this point the No. 9 team in the world, but we will be and better, I am waiting for (Clint) Mathis to become the player we all think he can be, (Josh) Wolff and Mathis is the best combo, next to (DaMarcus) Beasley and (Landon) Donovan. . . Please will someone get our top players to go overseas now."

David Huss says: Mad Brit, thought you might like to know that filming is currently taking place on a movie about the men involved in the 1-0 victory by the USA over England in the 1950 World Cup. Based on the book by the same name, the crew has remade one of St. Louis' great Italian ethic neighborhoods, "The Hill" from its 1948 version. I don't know how good the film will be, but any American film about soccer, much less about a game in 1950, deserves some attention from serious fans in this country."

Scott Knapper has some thoughts: "Brit, as always, excellent writing. I would like to comment on a couple of things one of your contributors wrote. Tom-Battcock-Emerson wrote, 'The real difference between the also-rans of world soccer (like the U.S.) and the contenders is touch, specifically first touch. The ability to confidently and quickly control the ball allows all the creative aspects of the game to happen.' I'm wondering if he watched Josh Wolff's first touch, blind pass to Brian McBride for the first goal against Mexico in the World Cup. That was a touch of sheer brilliance by Josh and a deadly clinical finish by Brian. Both were of international caliber and bordered on pure artistry.

"Or was he witness to John O'Brien's "vision" in finding Clint Mathis open in the game against South Korea, where in one motion Clint trapped the ball, controlled it and beat a well-positioned keeper for what turned out to be the most important goal of the tournament for us. People spend so much time dissecting and analyzing foreign teams, they tend to overlook our own qualities.

Daniel Barrera writes: "In response to Tom-Battcock-Emerson about Clint Mathis. Friendlies matter squat. In the first game at a major tournament (Confederations Cup), (U.S. coach Bruce) Arena benches Mathis. Without the services of first choice striker Brian McBride, Arena needed to start Mathis. Clearly, the U.S. was the weakest team at the Confederations Cup and was lucky to muster a 0-0 draw against a reserve Cameroon team which had little respect for the U.S., much like Turkey who rested its most explosive players. As for the friendly against the poorest Paraguay team ever assembled, poor finishing, two gift goals and a solid Kasey Keller saved the day. Donovan was disappointing again. Is it just me or does anyone else think he is becoming a lazy player.

"He hasn't progressed since the World Cup and has put in a number of lackluster performances for the Stars and Stripe. His goal came after he was set up perfectly by a misplayed ball from thePparaguayan defense after stellar work from DaMarcus Beasley. Bobby Convey wasted balls all day, spraying them wildly all over the place in an unfamiliar central role, (Greg) Vanney again looked out of place, but the central defending pair of (Cory) Gibbs and (Carlos) Bocanegra may be there for the next decade, looking very impressive."

Joseph Schoonmaker says: "Dear MB: Am I missing something or is Bobby Convey not very good? I mean, I just want him to pass the ball to a teammate every so often, rather than out of bounds. Maybe, in time, we will see great things from him, but so far I'm thinking, 'This is a midfielder on the U.S. national team?' " I thought Ante Razov did a decent job in his times with the national team. Now he never gets the call, despite scoring like mad in MLS right now.

"Bruce (Arena) has definitely seen plenty of (Jovan) Kirovski (although not many goals) and still calls him up occasionally. I hope Bruce gives Razov another chance someday. Then again, he never calls up Jason Kreis. I don't know if Kreis has the skills for the international level, but he has done a lot in MLS compared to other guys who get regular caps. "

Bill McLean writes: "Hi MB3: Mathis moves to his own drummer. Arena can't afford the luxury of a third, static forward. Mathis' work rate is the problem. If you watch a replay of the DaMarcus Beasley game vs. Brazil, you'll get my drift. Mathis needs to do a little homework and study E=MC2. He needs to get between the center backs and the ball more often, instead of 'lurking' on the far side in case a ball gets over the defense. He needs to chase every ball. He'll gradually get fitter. Donovan can't do it all on his own. They'll get no coaching from Arena, an ex-goalkeeper. Mathis should read Kevin Keegan's book and find out how Keegan became the Mighty Mouse of the Bundesliga. Or, he could spend an hour or two with me. By the bye -- check out Ali Curtis of D.C. United. He'd make a perfect right wing to balance Beasley on the left.

Tom Battock-Emerson says: "MB, if the Oceania winner cannot beat the fifth-place team from South America, then it doesn't deserve to go to the World Cup. That said, I think a playoff like the Oceana Federation is proposing is a good idea; kind of a mini World Cup to see who gets the right to be crushed in the actual World Cup. The airlines will love the idea too!"

Mike Mazzer writes: "Oceania can gripe all it wants, but if it can't beat the fifth best team in South America, does it really deserve a place in the World Cup finals? Come on, there are enough Saudi Arabias and Tunisias in the final 32 as it is.

The Mad Brit wants to remind letter writers -- Spelling, punctuation and capital letters (when called for) are important.

Heard a rumor, have a gripe or a tip? Feeling lonely? E-mail the Mad Brit at themadbrit3@aol.com.