Howard's Heartfelt Goodbye
Marc Connolly
ESPN.com
Howard, Howard! Howard, Howard!
Born is the ki-ing of East Ru-ther-ford!
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| Howard: Transfer investigation (LaurenceGriffiths/GettyImages) | |
-- Empire Supporters Club, to the tune of "The First Noel."
FOXBORO, Mass. -- When the final whistle blew, Tim Howard took a look around Gillette
Stadium and started a slow walk from his goal towards midfield. With the 3-3 overtime match
between his MetroStars and the New England Revolution ending on the far side of the field,
the 25-year-old goalkeeper was nowhere near his teammates or opponents, but all eyes rested on
his 6-3 frame, and all cheers from the stands were aimed in his direction.
The two-month ordeal of rumors, speculation and work permit issues surrounding the initial
offer that Manchester United sent Major League Soccer in May was finally over, and the game
that had just been played was Howard's last in MLS after five-and-a-half years with the MetroStars.
He was off to Old Trafford the next day. And everyone knew it.
The endless rounds of thanks, well-wishes and acts of appreciation started right away.
The first one to Howard was Taylor Twellman, who threw his arm around the massive keeper.
At this moment, Howard wasn't the opponent who he beat two hours earlier on a header to tally
the game's opening goal. He was Twellman's longtime teammate on youth and senior U.S. National Teams.
But it was more than that. He was simply a fellow soccer player -- and one of their own --
who's off to the Big Time. Even if he doesn't play a second for Man. U. this season, Howard will
wear the colors of the world's most revered club, and be the instant success model for all the young hopefuls in Major League Soccer.
Next came the Revolution coaching staff, led by assistant coach and goalkeeping trainer extraordinaire John Murphy,
who have spent many a Saturday watching Howard victimize the Revs by saving would-be goals time after time.
If anyone can appreciate what Howard has accomplished, it is Revs goalkeeper Adin Brown, who jogged up the field
to bear hug his friend. Even the four referee's working the match came over to wish the keeper the best of luck overseas.
On the far side of the stadium, the Empire Supporters Club never died down. Just as they kept Howard going while the
Metros were down 3-0, the chants and songs in appreciation of their star keeper continued.
As he often does, Howard stopped by to thank them for their support before entering the locker room. However,
this time it wasn't only for traveling three hours up I-95 to support the team, but for all the years of being
there for him. In this case, it was a special relationship being that Howard is also from New Jersey (North Brunswick)
like most of the team's core fans.
When a player retires, there are usually gifts and tributes and several glances to glories of yesteryear.
The Metro fans experienced that with Tab Ramos last fall. But with Howard, it was a case of mixed emotions.
There was sadness to see him leave, yet an overwhelming sense of pride and happiness to see a young player
have his dreams come true. It felt more like watching a star college football or basketball player during his
last game at home before trotting off to the pros to become a millionaire.
"Simply put, he was the best player we ever had," says Corey Jamison, a three-year season ticket holder and
a frequent fan since 1998. "Timmy brought it every single night whether it be on a good team or a bad team. He's
one of us, too, so it's even more special to see him move on to England. We'll miss him, but we're even more proud of him."
Finally it was his teammates who got a chance to say goodbye.
In the locker room after the game, manager Bob Bradley gathered all the players around simply thanked Howard
for all he has done for the team and the organization as a whole on and off the field. He ended by saying how'll
the team will miss him and how they wish him all the luck in the world, which was followed by a warm round of applause.
By the time Howard met the dozens of reporters and cameramen waiting outside the locker room, he seemed more sad
and reflective than excited at the opportunity that awaits him. His voice was hardly above a whisper at times and he
looked down more often than not as he spoke.
"I grew into a man here," says Howard. "I grew into a professional and learned a lot of things."
He joked about how he'll lean on fellow U.S. goalkeepers Kasey Keller and Brad Friedel, who are thriving in the
English Premier League and are considered two of the world's best.
"I talked to Kasey today and he made the mistake of telling me to call him," says Howard. "It might be a daily
conversation."
On the playing side of things, he's already been prepared for what lies next by MetroStars goalkeeper coach Des
McAleenan, who spent 10 days watching Manchester United training last November.
"I've prepped Tim for what to expect," says the third-year coach, who believes that Howard will have a chance
to win a starting role. "I've told him the characteristics of each of their goalkeepers as far as their strengths
and the type of routines they go through."
Battling French international Fabien Barthez, Roy Carroll and Spanish keeper Ricardo for a starting role will
be hard enough, but dealing with the throngs of reporters on a daily basis over in England might be the toughest adjustment for Howard.
He's already seen how they can distort reality by the way they covered his impending signing with several articles
focusing on the fact that he has Tourette's Syndrome over everything else.
"He'll be good with the media," says McAleenan. "He's very professional, and he never gives much away in interviews.
And he never says the wrong thing. When they try to look for dirty laundry, they'll come up short. He's a good guy and he
has a balanced lifestyle. They can turn him inside-out and they'll never find anything."
Howard has sought out the advice of other friends on the National Team who have experience dealing with the English press.
"I've spoken to Claudio (Reyna) extensively and also Eddie Lewis, who lives up near Manchester and plays for Preston
(North End)," he says. "Those guys have really just been true to their word. When someone says, 'Hey, anything you need
just give me a holler,' most people duck when you call them, but those guys have been great to me. So I'm going to use them
to the best of my ability."
Howard knows that he'll have to watch what he says extra carefully since one little sound bite taken the wrong way at Man.
United can quickly become a news item all around the world. "Mentally, I have to be sharp and I need to be strong," he says.
"That's going to be the biggest hurdle to get over - the mental side. It's very cutthroat there in terms of reserves and starters
and with the media and so forth, so I need to stay grounded and continue to be humble and work hard."
Howard leaves behind a strong, but unhealthy, squad that has been rebuilt by Bradley into a contender. No matter what new signee
Jonny Walker is able to do for the MetroStars, it's highly unlikely that he'll ever match the presence that Howard brought to the defense.
"It's not often in anyone's lifetime for people involved in sports you come across greatness," says McAleenan. "Very few people
get to work with the world's best athletes. They are few and far between. And I've had three great years to see him blossom and grow
from a novice keeper that not too many people had heard about into an established MLS keeper, to the best keeper in the league, and
to the logical next step as the best domestic keeper to challenge Brad and Kasey."
And now he'll be able to do just that not only in U.S. training camps, but perhaps on Saturdays in the EPL come the fall.
If so, bet on the soccer pubs in and around Manhattan to be filled with familiar songs in his honor.
Marc Connolly covers soccer for ESPN.com. He can be reached at: shaketiller10@yahoo.com.
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