Howard On The US Team

Tim Howard's performances with the US National team and Everton FC of the English Premier League ranks him among the best goalkeepers in the world.

In a recent Fox Sports poll, 79% of the fans felt that Howard is among the top 5-10 goalkeepers in the world. His performances in last summer's FIFA Confederations Cup helped measure him against the likes of Casillas & Buffon, and his play in the EPL surely sits him among the top goalkeepers in the most competitive league in Europe.

In a recent interview with Ives Galarcep, Howard talks about where the current US team sits among the teams of the past.

“If you want us to be Brazil, we’re not going to be,” Howard said. “We’re a hard-working team whose got loads of endeavor and loads of spirit and in certain areas of the field we’ve got some craft and some guile and some sexiness for lack of a better word, but in general we do what we do well.

“I think back over the years, that 2002 team that got to the quarterfinals and was one handball away from the semifinals,” Howard said.

“You know what they did? They defended well behind the ball, they broke out, they counterattacked and used Earnie Stewart on the wings and young Landon Donovan and young (DaMarcus) Beasley, with (Brian) McBride to hold up the ball.

“They weren’t any different, they weren’t any better on the ball, so I just think people are reaching sometimes for something that we’re not.

“That same team people have a problem with drew Argentina, took Brazil and gave them all they could handle, and beat Spain,” Howard said. “There was nothing different in those games. We defended our box well, we kept ourselves tight, we broke out and the few chances we had we took them. There’s nothing different about it.”

“You can put this current team against the best teams in U.S. Soccer history. I don’t think we’re far and away the best, but I don’t think we’re far from the top.”