U.S. goalie sounds off on critics

[AiRandy415]

On suggestions that Bob Bradley has not given a fair shake to some top players:

We have got the best players in America right now,’ Howard said. “There’s not better players out there so I don’t know where the problem lies.”

On general criticism of national team players:

“I’m sure that the same issues aome have with Gooch, me, Carlos Bocanegra or Landon Donovan they had the first time we stepped on the field but they just chose not to see it,” Howard said. “You’re telling me the first year (with the national team) Gooch didn’t probably get some yellow cards for physical play? Of course he did, but you know what people chalked that up to? ‘Oh, he’s a tough and physical person,’ but now it’s an issue.”

[arsynic]

never hear anything from him before, interesting

[SamsArmySam]

Good to see Timmy sticking up for his D. Hopefully this is a characteristic of the entire team. Some of you may scoff at this, but I believe it makes a tremendous difference when all 11 are in it for each other.

[Yankee_Devil]

One teamate sticking up for another it is the least one can expect with somebody with his class.

[sidefootsitter]

One teamate sticking up for another... This isn't a club with a fixed roster.

If Tim says that Jay or Danny can't possibly compete with Gooch, then he is picking one of his teammates over others.

And in a public forum too boot.

But it's not his job to be in charge of the player selection.

In this instance, Tim should have kept quiet.

[Chuy]

This isn't a club with a fixed roster.

If Tim says that Jay or Danny can't possibly compete with Gooch, then he is picking one of his teammates over others.

And in a public forum too boot.

But it's not his job to be in charge of the player selection.

In this instance, Tim should have kept quiet.

Well, then I guess it's a good thing he didn't say that. :rolleyes:

[passtheblizz]

Ask him right after a defensive breakdown resulting in an easy goal and see what he says... Gooch and to a slightly lesser extent Boca are unfortunately accidents waiting to happen. I have no real problem with Bocanegra, but against some teams Gooch is like bringing a bazooka to a paintball game. He is too ponderous, and often finds himself out of position.

On the other hand, he wins pretty much every header and scares the crap out of a lot of players. I like him in the squad, but we need to find a more tactically astute defender who can organize to complement him centrally. Boca does a good job on the left for the most part.

Good to see a player who gets fired up defending his teammates.

[nobody]

I have mixed feelings about his comments. On the one hand, I do think people around here greatly overstate the effects of other options we have. They guys we roll out right now are at least close to the best and differences between them and other choices tend to be marginal. It’s not like we’ve got some superstar not getting called up that would remake this team into a top ten squad. Whatever coach you hire is going to have a slightly different squad and outside a very limited number of guys who are clear choices, much of the squad exists in a kind of limbo of mediocrity where differences are more of the who do you prefer rather than the who is clearly better type.

On the other hand, players making repeated mistakes need to be shown the bench, even if they are considered stronger players over all. Screwing up repeatedly should have consequences. An easy example would be at Arsenal right now in goal. I think few doubt that Lehman is the better goalie when in form than Almunia. However, he made horrid mistakes two games in a row and he was shown the bench. It is important for players to feel there is real competition and that if they screw up, they will sit down…and maybe sit for a long while if there replacement does the job.

[Dr Jay]

Gooch and to a slightly lesser extent Boca are unfortunately accidents waiting to happen.

Not entirely disagree...but...whose better ?

Who would you start in their place and why ?

[OWN(yewu)ED]

Who cares what Tim Howard thinks, he's just a goalkeeper, surely he cannot contend with the collective will of big soccer. Who cares if Howard prefers Gooch in his lineup :rolleyes:

Its like.....Tim Howard is smart or something.

[tehGEO]

What is he supposed to do, throw his teammates under the bus?

Onyewu is not a very good defender, face it.

[flash1316]

Not entirely disagree...but...whose better ?

Who would you start in their place and why ?
I'd like to see more of Parkhurst, Conrad, Demerit, Sturgis. I think the competition at CB should be wide open.

[TimB4Last]

What is he supposed to do, throw his teammates under the bus?

Onyewu is not a very good defender, face it.

Do we have to? I mean now, do we have to face it now? Couldn't we face it next spring, when the flowers are in bloom and love is in the air? Why now, with the first fall chill in the air and a brutal winter ahead of us? Can't we dream of a magical Gooch resurgence for a few months longer? :(

[Nutmeg]

I have mixed feelings about his comments. On the one hand, I do think people around here greatly overstate the effects of other options we have. They guys we roll out right now are at least close to the best and differences between them and other choices tend to be marginal. It’s not like we’ve got some superstar not getting called up that would remake this team into a top ten squad.

I read this, and then I remember back to the pre-2002 World Cup arguments about how replacing Armas and not having him paired with Reyna in our central midfield was going to make the US Team that much better. The thought was that guys like Mastroeni weren't that much better than Armas, or O'brien or Mathis weren't that much better than Reyna.

All that may be true, but when you get to the thin air of the best soccer teams in the world, the difference between teams is marginal. And if playing a certain combination of players makes your team marginally better, then it could very well make the difference between getting ousted in group play and making the Quarterfinals of the World Cup.

I don't know if the answers to be a Quarterfinalist exist in today's US Pool. I'd like to believe it, but I'm skeptical. I do believe after watching the BradWak program in action that there are legitimate criticisms of the way Bob and Pete are building this team.

I think it is great Howard and his teammates are circling the wagons and sticking up for the team. I expect nothing different, and I don't take anything more from his comments than him being a good teammate.

[The Big Ticket]

If Tim says that Jay or Danny can't possibly compete with Gooch, then he is picking one of his teammates over others.
He didn't say that. He said if it was Parkhurst and DeMerit in the starting line-up instead of Onyewu and Bocanegra, people would still complain.

Which strikes me as an accurate statement.

[TimB4Last]

He didn't say anything like that. He said if it was Parkhurst and DeMeritt in the starting line-up instead of Onyewu and Bocanegra, people would still complain.

Which strikes me as an accurate statement.

But who could complain about that?

[tehGEO]

Do we have to? I mean now, do we have to face it now? Couldn't we face it next spring, when the flowers are in bloom and love is in the air? Why now, with the first fall chill in the air and a brutal winter ahead of us? Can't we dream of a magical Gooch resurgence for a few months longer? :(

I humbly request that you dream in one hand and shit in the other... immediately following this little experiment, perhaps you could get back to me about which of your hands filled up first.

[Adam Zebrowski]

usa is NOT a team in crisis, the calls for mass changes in defense is NOY gonna happen...

the real matches are nearing, and NO demerit nor parkhurst will be the responsibility...

the scenario IS, usa starts off with bocanegra, conrad, onyewu (PICK 2)..

when usa clinches a slot in the semis to the hex, THEN look at TWO newer CBs...

same scenario for the hex, although solid play from a newbie might earn some playing time, but i do NOT see that being ON THE ROAD....

usa is virtual a lock to go to south africa, and change will be slow...although by the summer of 2010, the starters aren't locks...

my primary point is the manager isn't gonna make the changes NOW...parkhurst got a look, as did demerit...

there's NO evidecne demerit is an upgrade, he's MORE question than answer...

i do like parkhurst and think he'd be an upgrade, but it might take the entirety of wcq for parkhurst to emerge as a starter...

[nobody]

I read this, and then I remember back to the pre-2002 World Cup arguments about how replacing Armas and not having him paired with Reyna in our central midfield was going to make the US Team that much better. The thought was that guys like Mastroeni weren't that much better than Armas, or O'brien or Mathis weren't that much better than Reyna.



I think the only switch there that holds up as being a real upgrade is Pablo for Armas, and since he ran out his national team career with injuries, we really don't know how Armas would have done, either. Because, the O'Brien and Mathis as better options than Reyna is very deceptive since we ended up playing them all, with O'Brien playing the whole time and Reyna playing all the time when healthy and being name to the WC first 11. Mathis saw spot duty in the cup and while I am personally a fan (would even be happy to see him pulled out again, actually), I think outside his moment of brilliance against SK, we didn't get much out of him.

I was happy to see the US advance as far as they did in 2002. But, we got some breaks in the opening group, including drawing a host team (weakest of the #1 seeds), and then we drew Mexico in the second round. We get something like that in South Africa, I could see us getting just as far. But, we see an opening group like we got in Germany and I see us 3 and out. Maybe we work some magic with hustle and team work, but if we draw a couple power teams like we did in Germany, we simply don't have the horses to be expected to advance unless the other teams stumble at the same time we peak. Frankly, put us in the 2006 group with our 2002 team, and we're 3 and out too in all likelihood.

I do want this team to maximize its talent. And, I still complain when guys I think are strong players sit. But, I think expecting a kid like Altidore or a guy like Parkhurst, for 2 examples, to suddenly turn a team of mid to bottom of the table workhorse players into something that regularly beats teams that grab most of their entire rosters off big clubs and have tons of experience and skill all over the field is hoping for a bit much. We are what we are, a mid level team that will qualify for 2006 easily from a weak region due as much if not more to our teamwork than our individual brilliance; and if we get out of the first round, it will be an upset and likely due to a combination of our playing great team defense and our opponent playing below their abilities.

We're in much better position than we were a couple decades ago. But, I think patience in our progress, unfortunately, in the fact of the day. And, it just seems to me like a lot of the player arguments start from an unrealistic evaluation of the team we have.

[tehGEO]

Frankly, put us in the 2006 group with our 2002 team, and we're 3 and out too in all likelihood.

It's amazing to me that some people don't think that's true, but they don't.

We're in much better position than we were a couple decades ago. But, I think patience in our progress, unfortunately, in the fact of the day. And, it just seems to me like a lot of the player arguments start from an unrealistic evaluation of the team we have.

Spot on. And we're not just in a much better position than two decades ago, we're in a much better position than the last cup cycle, you know... when we won the thing? The team is getting better and deeper as we go forward.