who do you think is the goalkeeper of the future for the us nats? id have to say tim howard..hes big hes quick hes agile. nick rimando is to small for me...hes horrible on crosses and can't stretch like T-HO can.
It's nearly impossible to answer this question. Two years ago, a lot of people on here would have pegged Zach Thornton for this job. He's not even on the radar these days. Personally, I think Adin Brown could challenge for the position as early as the next World Cup, but only if his play over the last half of last season is an example of things to come and not just a hot streak. C in SJ
I'm all about Nick Nick comes up with huge saves. He doesn't have the reach that other players have, but his athleticism covers for that.
Re: I'm all about Nick Bullcrap. He makes fantastic LOOKING saves, becauae his positioning is terrible. Hes basically a shorter and less skilled Fabien Barthez.
I think that Howard will get the nod eventually. Rimando is a skilled player, and very athletic, but he will never be able to make saves that Howard, or even Adin Brown can. Don't get me wrong, I would feel OK with him playing for the USMNT even in a World Cup, but we can do better. A lot does come down to reaction, but a keeper with good size and a good reach has an advantage. There are of course exceptions, and Rimando is one of them, but I think that Howard is better. I saw a lot of Metrostars games, and he often kept the games respectable when it could have been a joke. He just keeps the ball out of the net. I don't think that any of these guys will play in 2006 though. Freidel deserves another go... It would be ridiculous to do otherwise unless he seriously fades or gets hurt.
Adin Brown definitely has potential. I was not impressed when I saw him playing for the Rapids... big, athletic, but terrible decision making. However, the decision making gets better with experience, and Brown is still young. There's a reason many top-class keepers are in their 30s. If Brown can continue to improve his positioning and mental game, he's my pick for the future of the US. We might even see a similar situation to today's Keller/Fridel duo with Howard and Brown being 1A/1B.
Re: Re: I'm all about Nick The importatn thing is that he makes the saves, and he looks better each game.
Whoever dares to go over seas to a big club and nail down a starting position will win the tie breaker.
That makes the winner Joe Cannon? I like Cannon, it will be interesting to see how he does in France. But I don't see it helping him replace Howard, who is getting a close look and delivering the goods. Rimando has played well, too. With the USA so deep in 'Keepers, I think it will come down to who is in form at the time. I don't think either Keller or Friedel will be a lock in 4 years. True, they are hot now, but look at Jerzy Dudek, advertised as a wall going into the WC and falling apart for Liverpool this season. Barthez was suposed to be God after France '98, and he is largely reviled now. I'll be suprised if they both are not doing swan songs in MLS. One of them will likely get the nod as 3rd 'Keeper, ala Meola, for experience and good team chemistry.
Thornton is athletic and Positioning can be coached. He looks good to me but I think Howard or Rimando will get the nod.
I hope he proves me wrong but I don't forsee Rimando being anything more than a good keeper in MLS. He reminds me way too much of Jorge Campos in style which isn't fair but thats what I see with him. Also if one of Keller/Friedel/Meola is going to be the 3rd goalkeeper in 2006... bet on Meola as long as Bruce Arena is in charge.
Right now the #1 gk position is Friedel's to lose...and he doesn't look likely to give it up anytime soon.
Question on the Rimando-Campos comparison Why does Rimando remind you of Campos? Because they are both short and athletic? Something else? I haven't seen a ton of him, I've just seen him play seven or eight times, but what I've always noticed is tremendous athleticism, and a shut down mentality (he seems to go into games thinking that he can and will post a shut out. Just check out DC United last year, their Defense was completely reconstructed from scratch+Pope, and Rimando stood on his head all year almost singlehandedly keeping them in the hunt until the final week of the year). His positioning may be weak, I just havent seen him enough to determine his consistency there, but what I do see is a knack for the big save, a knack for shut outs, regardless of his supporting cast (and the performance of the defense and Rimando last year, with no help whatsoever from the second worst MLS offense ever, was nothing short of astounding) around him, and an ability to really win, or pull off a draw for his team almost single handedly. Yes he's short and he doesnt have a lot of reach, but right now, if theres anyone better in the MLS, I don't know of them, with the possible exception of Tim Howard. That's the crux, though, if Howard and say, Adin Brown can add the positive qualities of Rimando to their game, then they will make it at the next level and possibly with the national team, unfortunately Rimando's size, reach (and perhaps other criticisms) seem to place a cap on his future possibilities, though I hope I'm wrong, as I loved what he did for my DC United last year (perhaps I'm a little biased).
I saw Rimando and Howard play a couple of years ago in Tampa. They both did tremendous saves right in front of me. They were impressive! even to me having been a goalie. I couldn't pick them apart back then. Playing against a European team I would still feel more comfortable with a taller goalie. Plus theres the mental side of the game too. I hope Adin Brown gives it his best. I do have a bias for ex-Mutiny players.
Re: Question on the Rimando-Campos comparison I snipped the rest to be concise, though it was a well written acclaim of Rimando's play. Yes, the main points comparing Campos and Rimando (for me at least) are his athletic style (primary) and size (secondary). I think Nick is a very good keeper at the moment and he sounds like a good person. However, keepers seem to hit their prime in their late 20s to early 30s these days in international play. My problems with the keepers that rely on their athleticism to make high flying saves rather than using their size to shut off the goal or potentially stop the cross from coming in to begin with is that as bodies get older, they tend to slow down somewhat. I'm not suggesting that Nick will become an overweight oaf, actaully I think he'll remain in top physical form, but the loss of a bit of speed/athleticism could make a noticeable difference in the balls he can reach. I hope I'm wrong and Nick becomes a world class goalkeeper, but I fear a little slowdown will hamper his international career much like it did Campos. That said, I'm still glad the USA seems to have a plethora (good word) of keepers to choose from at all ages.