Where would you rank Brad Friedel among GK's

Nearly every source that does these sorts of rankings has him anywhere from 3-6 (behind guys like Van der Sar, Seaman, Schmeichel, and sometimes Cech) so...unanimously and resoundingly yes.

In 2002 he was named the 6th best GK in the world by IFFHS. So, I'd say yes but it depends on your definition I guess.

Not sure about the first part but he absolutely could have played at a top 4 club.

Hard to say, but I'd imagine he thinks that quitting the NT helped prolong his career if nothing else.

 

Well above Howard.

 

http://thesagaofbradfriedel.blogspot.com/

 

Perceptions of goalkeepers and their places in history are odd IMO. It seems entertaining, circus keepers that actually sucked against good competition (e.g. Campos and Higuita) are fondly remembered but top notch guys like N'Kono and Zoff are asterisks. Despite being occasionally eratic, Howard's almost as a rule terrific but he's currently going through some major dissing by fans right now. Relying heavily on his athleticism (rather than a Petr Cech-type positional wizard), Tim may decline earlier and more sharply than Friedel and Keller as reflexes etc slow down so I don't see him being one of these guys that peaks in his late 30s. Friedel was consistently very good to excellent for a relatively long time at the highest levels. Best US keeper ever IMHO and that's saying something. Keller had many wow games against great teams (ask Ronaldo) and IMO but for being off the charts unlucky in some high profile games and having an apparently moronic agent (e.g. the move to Spain) he'd have had a more robust career. fwiw, Tony Meola learns how to do kick saves ('94 WC vs Brazil) and he's in this discussion too.

 

Romario

How time has passed. Still remember those days when BS got in heated debates about Keller vs Friedel. The consensus was that Brad was too shaky to command his own box. He really was. I was in attendance at Stanford stadium screaming like a little girl whenever Brad came out claiming a high ball. He let one in and we beat Costa Rica in a WC98 quali that day though.

 

I think Friedel is the best USMNT keeper ever, narrowly over Keller. Without that PK save against South Korea, there is no QF run.

I think he was definitely top 10 in the word at his peak. Though I think top 5 may be pushing it a bit, but not much.

 

1. Friedel
2. Keller
3. Howard
4. Meola
5. Guzan

 

You're a wizard, Harry.

 

1. Keller
2. Friedel
3. Howard
4. Meola
5. Guzan

Really would have been nice to see if Howard could have turned things around at ManU, as that could have elevated him to the top.

 

Italian keepers are always overrated. Only Brasilian keepers get more underserved credit.

Zoff and Buffon were already labelled "world class" when I first saw them, so I should have been awed......but they never seemed much better than whomever they were playing. Didn't Zoff give up some long range bombs in the 1978 WC v Holland and somebody else? Isn't Buffon terrible at saving penalties or something?

 

In terms of talent:

1) Friedel
2) Howard
3) Keller
4) Meola
5) Guzan

In terms of importance to the USMNT:

1) Keller
2) Howard (and closing fast)
3) Friedel
4) Meola
5) Guzan (although if somebody wants to argue for Mausser than so be it. I never saw him play.)

Howard should pass Keller for career wins by the end of the year, and will pass him in caps in 2014.

I think to some extent Keller/Friedel have been "mythologized" on these boards, and we don't give enough credit to Tim Howard for everthing he's done both for the USMNT and in club football.
Tim Howard has been in the top 10 of the IFFHS World Goalkeeper Rankings on 3 ocaasions (2010, 2009, and 2003). That tells you a little about the respect the international community has for him. Keller, I don't believe, was ever in the top 10 of those ratings.

 

Some good points and some minor quibbles

Friedel
Howard
Guzan
Keller
Hahnemann

An interesting list and I mostly agree. I saw Arnie Mausser play probably 5-6 times and
Guzan is now a far superior player. Even so, Mausser probably was more important. 10 years from now, it will probably be Guzan.

Very, very true. Freidel was more of a craftsman and field general, Howard relies upon athletic ability.

You are correct. Few remember Hahnemann was acknowledged as the "Best Goalkeeper in the World" by Castrol.
http://paddytheflea.wordpress.com/2010/06/30/marcus-hahnemann-is-the-best-goalkeeper-in-the-world/

 

Easy to do.
He very rarely played in any matches for the US.

Meola, of course, never played any matches in the premiership and was sent back to the US having failed to earn a work permit because he could not establish himself as a starter for Watford in the English second division (that would be championship level, now). Tony, of course, was capped 100 times by the US. Interestingly, Meola shared the goal with Mausser in 1991 for the Ft. Lauderdale Strikers. Here's an old article interviewing Tony regarding his experiences in England (and some other stuff)

http://www.theargus.co.uk/archive/2002/05/06/6760328.Meola_joins_exclusive_club/?ref=arc

 

Yes, Meola holds the appearances record with 7, and our shutout record of 2 still belongs to Jimmy Douglas, who once played for a team called the Newark Skeeters.

 

http://www.ussoccer.com/about/history/hall-of-fame/hall-of-famers/player-bio.aspx

James E. “Jimmy” Douglas. Goalkeeper who played for the United States in both the 1924 Olympic Games and the 1930 World Cup. Douglas also played nine seasons in the original American Soccer League, for eight different teams. He played nine full internationals for the United States between 1924 and 1930, including both of the U.S. games at the 1924 Olympics in Paris and all three of the U.S. games at the 1930 World Cup in Uruguay. Inducted in 1953. -

For all the heat Wikipedia takes, it is still an excellent resource:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Douglas_(American_soccer)

Douglas earned nine caps with the U.S. national team between 1924 and 1930. His first game came as a member of the national team in the 1924 Summer Olympics. He backstopped the U.S. to a 1-0 victory over Estonia on May 25, 1924, Douglas was named the game’s MVP. Then four days later, the U.S. lost to Uruguay which put the U.S. out of the tournament. Douglas then played the next two 1924 U.S. games. In 1925, he was in the nets for a U.S. 1-0 shutout of Canada in Montreal. In 1930, he returned to the national team at the 1930 FIFA World Cup. Douglas shutout Belgium and Paraguay before losing to Argentina in the semifinals. About four minutes into that game, Douglas twisted his knee, then two U.S. players were injured. As the rules did not allow substitutes at the time, Douglas and his teammates were forced to play injured. Following the World Cup, the U.S. traveled to Rio de Janeiro where it lost 4-3 to the Brazil. Douglas finished his U.S. career with four wins and three shutouts.

A bit hard to say for sure, from this grainy old picture but it appears Douglas may have set the intial standard for our follically challenged goalkeepers.


(that is Douglas in the dark uniform on the back row).

He must have been a master at the U-12 technique.

Here is an entertaining read about the USA performance in the 1930 World Cup. The match against Argentina sounds epic: http://www.phillysoccerpage.net/2010/04/08/the-us-at-the-1930-world-cup/

 

Good point re Italian keepers, the same may be said for English keepers who really haven't been up to the line ending with Peter Shilton. But I think Italian keepers get gaudy GA avgs (possibly their springboard to media attention) because the defenses in front of them are traditionally great. Re Zoff however, he was not only very good for a long time against the highest competition, he's best known for denying several should-have-been Brazil goals in the '82 WC semis. All keepers give up a goober goal now & then. I also agree re Brazilian keepers who for some reason get great press when they do just what they should at the international level. Taferel was a clown but played on a great squad so...he must be great the story goes. Cesar is English 1st division caliber but (if he can stop getting injured from crashing his Lamborghini) lets see the mileage he gets from his 1 good and 1 great save against Spain in the Confed Cup, not to mention the penalty kick that missed the net which Univision credited to the kicker's fear of Cesar.

 

If Brad was English he would be hailed as WC throughout the world, would have made 20 times more than he has, be hailed as a hero blindly in England, and constantly be forced into conversations as one of the worlds best...maybe ever.

He is a Yank so we just have this thread however.