http://soccer365.com/US_NEWS/Breaking_News/page_131_60447.shtml "Obviously, I'd be very receptive to go in and train with the SELECTION, but until something really comes up it would be foolish for me to comment on it," he says. "The most important thing for me to do is to concentrate on the post season with the Metros. We have a good chance in the playoffs. I just want to do my est here because (national team duty) is pretty much extracurricular at this point." Selection...In case anyone is wondering, I think he refers to the Spanish term "la seleccion" i.e. the National Team...guess the kid still has kept some expressions from his playing days in Chile
In a sense you have to really feel for Walker. He has done everything possible to warrant a look by Arena. The cold hard reality is Howard has staked his claim as the next goaltender of choice for the National team. I doubt many people on these boards could envision this when Howard left for ManU.
Actually, I think Walker has a superb chance to get major minutes with the USMNT in the coming future. Why? Well, Howard is in the Premiership (as is Friedel and Keller). As long as they all start, getting any of them released for a 2 week camp is impossible. And, Arena has long recognized the value of having players start (rather than as subs) for their clubs--especially in big leagues. Thus, he's not called in Reyna or O'Brien or Keller or Friedel in a number of circumstances. Arena also likes to have squads with a lot of domestic/MLS talent that can be available for extended camps and domestic friendlies (where players don't have to blow a day flying here and a day flying back). Afterall, Thornton and Meola got lots of caps 1998-2002 yet no-one had any illusions that either was competing with Friedel or Keller. So who's his domestic/MLS USMNT keeper? Adin Brown is great but has a history of injuries. Thornton hasn't had many reps since the lead in to the 2002 WC. Rimando is coming of knee surgery and will be unavailable this Fall and Winter. Cannon is a reserve and Garlick seemed to fall into disfavor with Arena when both were at United. Countess and Warren have Olympic commitments. By process of elimination (Busch? Hartmann?) and b/c of his performance, Walker is likely to get a couple of opportunities by Arena this off-season. Last of all, Arena is a big believer in having 3 keepers in camp. He believes that the wear and tear on a body (diving for shots repeatedly in drills--as GKs take more shots in one practice than they do in an entire season) results in dead legs for the game so he likes to have a lot of GKs for practice. To get invited to camp, to get caps and get an opportunity to compete--that really is about all anyone could ask for.
I have a question about the work permit issue. If our 3 Yanks in the EPL stay with their clubs, retaining their starting positions, how do they maintain the number of national team caps required to warrant the work permit in the first place? Or is it a case of, once the permit is obtained, the deciding factor becomes their position with their club? IE. As long as they are starting do they retain the permit?
Their are 2 issues with a work permit for those who aren't eligible for the EU passport from what i understand. ONE is the number of caps. An alternate is being a player of "international distinction" which does not mean the number of caps, but rather how a persons skills are seen by the world soccer community. Once you get the work permit and start to play, it's almost a rubber stamp issue that you are renewed each year on that basis. I would assume that there are times where it might be denied if someones play disintegrates over the course of a couple of years, but I would guess it doesn't happen too often.
No one deserves it more than Walker right now... He has played extremely well for us given the tough circumstances he faced coming into a diffrent league mid-season and trying to fill in for THo. I believe Walker is the best keeper in the league right now and i'm suprised he hasn't already been called up for camp in the past.
I agree Walker is the best MLS option for a keeper. As a Revs fan, I'll say this about Brown- he's really hot when he's hot, but he is not good at holding the ball when he makes a save, and he has poor distribution. And when he's not hot, I just close my eyes when someone's taking a shot.
This is great news for Walker. I agree that he deserves it. Also nice that another MetroStar gets a look. Goooooo Metros! We need to kick some butt in the play-offs!!!!!!!!
regarding work permits. all the major Americans (except Howard) have EU-passports, IIRC the got them automaticly by the fact they were with European clubs before the new rules were put into place. not 100% about this fact though
Doesn't anyone wish, however, that our goalies stop getting national team attention so that we don't lose them for any games? I certainly don't blame the players or the national teams but I'd rather have the best goalie in the league who doesn't get called up play 95% of the games for my team rather than have one of the top goalies in the league who does get called up and plays only 75% of the games. Basically what I'm trying to say is that I'd rather have the 3rd or 4th best goalie in the league play 95% of the time than have the best goalie in the league play 75% of the time and have his back-up, maybe the 14th best goalie in the league play 25% of the time.
Freidel is 32 yrs old, Keller 34, Howard 24 and Walker 29. Freidel and Keller are at their prime right now but in 2006, Freidel will be 35, Keller 37. With due respect to Freidel and Keller, the day in day out exhaustion at Primereship games, possible injuries and very possible decline of their strength makes Howard and Walker the better choice for 2006. The 3rd back up keeper can be Brown. I would choose Walker before Brown not only becuase of Walker is a better keeper but also Walker has extensive international experience. IMO, Walker can play at the level of Primereship or La Liga without any problem.
Keller and Friedel are all great. But in my honest opinion, Keller seems to be slipping (even if just slightly) in his form. That is not to say that he shouldn't be though of more highly than the top MLS keeper in the USMNT pool. Just that, his form does seem to be declining slightly. I believe he has let in two real howlers this season. It is not outside hte realm of possibilties for Walker to replace Keller on the depth chart (or any MLS keeper) for 2006. Howard though is locking things down for 8+ years at this rate. With regards to Walker and you Metro fans will know this better than me. I saw a couple of his games early in the season. From what I saw he was a fantastic shot stopper, but was somewhat weak with his feet, i.e. balls played back to him, goal kicks etc. Has he improved in this regard as the season progressed? Like I said he was athletic and a great shot stopper when I first saw him, just wanted to get an opinion on his foot skills.
I'm not a Metro fan, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express where I saw a few of their games, and my opinion is that Walker is pretty decent with his feet. I agree with most of the posts here that find him to be very capable. Both Keller and Friedel are getting on in years, so it may be time. I know that David Seaman played in the WC for England at 37 or 38 last year, but I wouldn't want that to happen to the US. Seaman looked like a fish out of water at times.
Um, no. He has established himself as the goalkeeper of choice. Goaltenders play hockey. I know I'm being anal but that one really bugs me. That said, Walker has emerged as the best American goalkeeper in MLS. He deserves a look from Arena.
As Metro fan, and for my own selfishness, I hope Walker will stay with Metro for a long time. Did he sign with Metro just for one year? I hope I am wrong.
MLSNHTOWN, good eyes on Walker. To me, at least, Walker has that easy athleticism that lets him move quickly without looking like every save is momentous. Nice on short stops. Good composure. Talk to the backs well. Only shortcoming I detected was his inability to distribute the long balls accurately. He rolls out very well and can serve quite nicely up to and just past midfield. We had two games recently where his long balls were short and off the mark. He also missed two shots (USOC and next game) that I thought he might have gotten. We get spoiled with keepers always making great saves at Metro as Timmy has kept us in many, many games that a lesser keeper would have closed the door on. Interestingly, though Timmy has always had a nice strong kick, his accuracy seems to have really improved since starting with Man U.
Apparently, Walker won't get his "shot" for any Copa AMerica games, as it appears we won't get to play....
Pretty harsh on the old terminology, since they're synonyms, every knows what was meant, and so many people call goalkeepers goaltenders that it's pretty acceptable in this country. Much like "Sandon Milbut" is synonymous with "boorish message board grammar troll" until you take back that attack.
I don't initiate this point when others talk about "goal tenders" but I'm with Sandon on this point. I was always raised as goal keepers play soccer/football, the only people who "tend" play hockey or work in gardens. And it may also be true that distinction is lost here in the States.
Howard carries an Hungarian passport, courtesy of his mom. When Hungary is admitted to the EU next year, Howard will be considered a EU player and not subject to the work permit issue anymore......
true, I was just answering about Americans in Europe right now, and Howard is still not considered exempt yet
Goalkeepers tend to have longer 'footballing lives' than outfield players, look at Dino Zoff was 72 when he captained Italy to the World Cup (ok ok he was 40 or 41). I wouldnt count Keller and Friedel just yet. I'm sure Keller would be anxious to get another shot at the World Cup in 2006 after he got blanked last year. Friedel still does quite well at Blackburn but then again, his last USA game was the quarter final against Germany. He might do a Keane or a Shearer and call it a day on the international scene. The good thing is that USA has an abundance of goalkeepers. With Keller, Friedel, Howard, Walker, Thornton, Hartman, Brown, Cannon we are fine in that department (I could also add Meola, Countess, Rimando and Busch). Look at Ireland, we only have one good keeper in Shay Given after Dean Kiely retired. The others are a backup in Division 1 and a Division 2 keeper in England.