This week's Sports Illustrated has a great feature story on Timmy. It talks all about the pressure he faces at United and how the change was so drastic. Shockingly, it also speaks of a rift between Freidel and Howard, hinting that Freidel actually worked AGAINST the work permit that Howard was given as well as the one Bobby Convey was denied. It claims that Freidel went to Howard's home to clear things up and that Freidel denied the whole thing. I just wonder where this came from? Anyway, cheers to SI for the story.
I would be interested in finding out how it is that an American goalkeeper playing in a British league has so much influence with UK immigration.
It might be within the realm of possibility that he would try to mess with Howard, seeing as they are in direct competition for a spot on the USMNT. Why would he try to sabotage Convey though? That doesn't make any sense. Maybe this kind of dumb, idle speculation in the pages of a major magazine is proof that soccer is really becoming part of the sports landscape in this country.
*I havent read the article, yet* But it sounds like the British media just trying to manufacture something. Probably about the time they got tired of printing "Tourrette's kid at ManU" they started looking for a rift between a couple big time Americans. I wouldn't take it too seriously, and IF SI reports the story without discrediting it, shame on them. Dont be gullable, people.
Well, his "influence" wasn't that good, seeing as he wasn't successful! As for MD's assertion that this was British media manufacturing something, I thought the original poster said this was published in Sport's Illustrated, the largest publication in the US? Did a Brit journo write the story?
Again, having not yet seen the story- It was probably written by Grant Wahl, as he is SI's only soccer writer, or one of a few. In andygus' quick recap of the article, he says the article "speaks of" a rift. Could very well read "The Sun in England reported a rift between Howard and Friedel." I am just trying to save anyone else from believing this without any proof at all. Brad Friedel and Timmy Howard are both good guys until proven differently.
>I am just trying to save anyone else from believing this without any proof at all. Brad Friedel and Timmy Howard are both good guys until proven differently. < Actually while I don't know if this story has any truth there is some proof that Brad isn't too nice a guy. He is the main cause of friction in the US camp with Keller. Pouting, whining and threatening to walk out when KK plays over him. This while KK is not happy but remains a pro when Brad plays.. Brad has openly mocked MLS and it's player's to the British media. He claims to have never even known of Howard before the start of last year. He barely knows anything that happens with US soccer or even Nat teams unless he is involved (unlike his other overseas compatriots). Actually knows very little at all about the US game or players and shocked and surprised and I didn't know are anchors of his vocab. when concerning the US. Boca, McBride, Mathis and Howard have ALL praised and thanked Claudio, Lewis and Kasey for being so open and helpfull. For being available to them while they learn and get acclimated and for answering all of their questions before they came over. No one thanks Brad? I wonder why? I have nothing against Brad, but I have been following this guy for a while. Doesn't seem like ANYONE'S favorite or one who knows anything about the US game outside of what role he plays. Go a step further. Take out the best game played by a keeper in the tourney (Friedal v S Korea) and what have ya got? Portugal - really not all that many saves to make or that much to do when watched again. Poland - Looked very average Mexico - looked very shaky on a couple of shots and crosses and gave the ball away a couple of times poorly that almost resulted in goals. Not sterling to say the least. Germany - Nothing In other words hype has over stated how great Brad was. Incredible against SKorea, but... It's all on the tape. Watch it again. Go back to his quotes and history. A lot to see that say he isn't all that great of a guy. That's if you want to look without the flag flying in your face.
No, it's reported as fact in the article. He spends about a paragraph on it. It seems like Brad thought the players didn't meet the standards and actually told the Home Office about it. He whined about how the standards were higher when he came to England. The writer is not Grant Wahl by the way, but I forget who it is. Anyway it's a pretty good article, don't know how true this stuff about Friedel is.
still bitter about Friedel starting in WC02 over your boy Kasey Keller? MAYBE Friedel has been in England too long to really remember or care about what is going on in MLS. But that doesn't make the guy evil. Saying that he was openly preventing other Americans from playing in the Premier League, strictly because they're Americans is crazy. IF the story comes out that he in fact was doing this, we can discuss it then, but this is a pretty serious thing to say about a guy and immediately believe it without proof.
Thank you. So Friedel was asked about other Americans, because hey, that is his nationality. He tells the truth, that both Convey and Howard didn't meet the number of caps, and both weren't starting national team players. That's the truth. If you have to put it on one side, for or against these players permits, it falls on the against side. But he told the truth and wasn't trying to prevent anyone from getting there. And to even suggest that he was doing this to further his own career with the National Team is ludacris.
OK, let me shed a bit more light on the article. It was written by S.L. Price--a very respected writer for SI. He talks about, leading up to the work permit hearing, how Man United wrote "testimonials lauding his qualities" and had his agents gather signatures supporting the calims. Then, "Freidel, however, refused to sign, sparking rumors among U.S. players and staff that he had been activily working against Howard and, later, Convey for reasons ranging from jealousy to spite to a turf battle between their agents." It seems that the story came from US players and staff, not the British media--at least that is how the story frames it. It also goes a good bit into how Howard and Freidel are cool with one another. Howard calls Brad, " 'a friendly face' and 'helpful.' " Freidel claims he did nothing against either player but says "that he contacted the PFA (Professional Footballers' Association) only to ask why work-permit standards had been so dramatically relaxed since he applied."
I absolutely love how whenever the first bad thing about Friedel is even hinted, TAKK flies in and starts to command the propanganda ship. Do a search for Friedel on BS and you will most likely find this same exact post on a number of other topics. It's like he saved it and just copy and pastes now.
"Freidel claims he did nothing against either player but says "that he contacted the PFA (Professional Footballers' Association) only to ask why work-permit standards had been so dramatically relaxed since he applied." Well, maybe that's because the overall quality of both Major League Soccer and the U.S. National Team have improved, in part through the play of Friedel. So in a sense, he's probably part of the reason why "work-permit standards had been so dramatically relaxed since he applied." The U.K. doesn't consider the U.S. the footballing equivalent of a 3rd world country as much as it used to. Gotta love the irony. The Magpie
Gentlemen, let me remind you it is possible to to quote a key sentence or two from a post, it isn't necessary to include the entire book. I would rather read your trenchant comments and replies without having to scroll down through an entire document. But that's just me.
Heck this article made it sound like Metrostar fans don't even care for Howard. I guess this writer doesn't know that the ESC praised him throughout with numerous songs.