Metrostars: From NJ to Man U, Howard Strives for Greatness

The Star-Ledger, July 1, 2003
- by Colin Stephenson Star-Ledger Staff

Tuesday, July 01, 2003

This is what every soccer player dreams of. The big time. The really big time.

Any day now, Tim Howard, MetroStars goalkeeper and North Brunswick native, will be joining Manchester United, the world's most famous professional sports team -- and it doesn't get any bigger than that. Tomorrow night's game against the San Jose Earthquakes at Giants Stadium could be Howard's last in Major League Soccer.

Imagine that. Well, actually, some people can't.

"I keep telling people I can't get my brain around it," said Esther Howard, the goalkeeper's mother. "It's just so enormous."

But MetroStars goalkeeper coach Des McAleenan, who has worked with Howard since his first year as the team's starting goalie in 2001, believes Howard belongs at the top of the soccer world. "World-class," McAleenan calls Howard and boldly declares Howard one of the top five young goalkeepers in the world.

He points to Howard's play in the recent Confederations Cup. Howard, 24, started all three games for the United States -- gaining a shutout in a 0-0 tie against Cameroon in the Americans' final game of the tournament. In the other games -- a 2-1 loss to Turkey and a 1-0 loss to Brazil -- Howard earned "Man of the Match" honors.

"Even not knowing too much about goalkeeping, if he's 'Man of the Match' against Brazil, in a game like that, chances are you're talking about a world-class goalkeeper," McAleenan said. "This isn't a flash in the pan."

Howard has shown great promise since he was a teenager. He starred for the Under 17 national team and was the starter for the Under 20 team that advanced to the second round of the 1999 World Youth Championships. He was a backup to Brad Friedel on the Olympic team that finished fourth at the Sydney Games in 2000. He was an alternate on last year's World Cup squad and has been U.S. coach Bruce Arena's starter for most of 2003.

Now, once the two leagues work out passport complications, Howard will leap to the English Premier League, generally regarded as the top league in the world -- a gigantic jump. But everyone who knows him is confident he can thrive at that level. Howard was one of the first generation of American players to skip college and turn professional.

"I think he'll do well," MetroStars coach Bob Bradley said. "Look at the games he has just played in: This year, so far, he's played against Argentina (an MVP performance in a 1-0 loss at the Orange Bowl in February), Brazil, Turkey. The level of games doesn't get any higher than playing against Argentina and Brazil."

Howard remains modest when talking about his rise. Asked whether he expects to eventually supplant French World Cup veteran Fabien Barthez as United's No. 1 choice in goal, he says, "I certainly hope so, but I'm not going to go there and say, 'I'm the starter.'"

There is opportunity for Howard, however. Barthez, 32, has been inconsistent for the Red Devils, has been a target of frustration for demanding Manchester United fans and has been rumored on the way out. Backups Roy Carroll and Ricardo have been unimpressive, too.

"Once he becomes familiar with the atmosphere at British grounds -- how close and tight everything is -- and he gets his feet wet, I think he'll be fine," McAleenan said. "I've seen all three of (Manchester United's) goalkeepers up close and personal. And (Howard) is athletically more talented than any of them -- clearly."

Life off the field will be a challenge for Howard in England, too. He will have to adjust from playing on a relatively obscure team just outside New York to being a player on the most famous team in the country that invented soccer. He will become an instant celebrity.

But Howard will be joined in England by his fiancZe, Laura Ciancola. They were to be married Nov. 29 in New Jersey, but those plans are going to have to change.

"I'm thrilled beyond words they are together, because I know it would be hard for him to make this move if he was alone," Esther Howard said.

On the field, it may take some time for Howard to win the starting job, but he knows how to wait his turn. He served a three-year apprenticeship with the MetroStars before taking over as the starting keeper after Mike Ammann was traded before the 2001 season. And he has worked hard with the national team, soaking up knowledge from Friedel, Kasey Keller, Tony Meola and others while climbing from the youth teams. McAleenan predicts Howard soon will be pushing for the No. 1 spot on the national team.

"They know he's coming," McAleenan said. "He will no longer be, 'He's a young up-and-comer, and let's help him out and let's give him some friendly advice.' Now, he's in there on more of an equal footing."

Born with the neurological condition known as Tourette's syndrome -- characterized by rapid, involuntary facial movements and sounds -- Howard has never been held back athletically because of the condition. And since publicly announcing he had the condition two years ago, he has become a spokesman promoting awareness of the syndrome, joining the board of directors for the Tourette Syndrome Association of New Jersey.

Because of his success on the field -- and because high school was a struggle for him -- Howard decided to sign with MLS' Project-40, the program the league had established to lure top young soccer talent to turn professional instead of playing college soccer. Turning pro early helped Howard learn how to conduct himself as a professional. Bradley said that is what the team will miss most when Howard leaves.

"It's a big loss for us, because he has been here through some difficult years," Bradley said. "He has matured. He has a presence in the locker room. He's a leader. We'll miss that."