Here is a transcript of what was said about the Tim Howard/Man U situation on the MetroStars pre-game show on MSG Network Saturday night: Steve Cangialosi, host: "Let's get some thoughts on his impending move from J.P. DellaCamera and the one goalkeeper, I believe, who has not been linked to Manchester United, that's Shep Messing. Guys, let's start with whether or not this is a good thing for Tim Howard, especially if he has to wind up sitting in the early stage of his trip overseas." DellaCamera: "Steve, my opinion is that if Manchester United is ringing the doorbell, you don't look through the keyhole. You open the door and you embrace that offer. Tim Howard is 24 years of age and who knows if this opportunity will come next year. Maybe Manchester United with their money that they print will go after one other goalkeeper, another goalkeeper. So for Tim Howard, the window is now. I think, Shep, he's got to take it." Messing: "It's great for Tim Howard but from the league's standpoint, MLS, how do you spell travesty? I think it's a joke. For a league, a young league that's trying to enhance its credibility and build its fan base, it's ludicrous. Ludicrous to sell one of their biggest emerging stars." Cangialosi: "Yeah, Shep, I don't think we can forget this is a league that's in its eighth season and one thing you want to do is cultivate star-power at every turn that you have the possibility to do. And, obviously, Howard leaving, it's a blow for the MetroStars fans who, let's face it guys, are looking at some special things with this winning streak in progress as we head into tonight's game against Columbus..." After this, the conversation turns to who can replace him on the MetroStars. DellaCamera is right. Messing is wrong. Let's hear it.
For $3 million bucks, and for a league that lacks revenue stream, you take it. Goalkeepers are easily replaced. Is there any concidence there are quite a bit of good goolkeepers from the US?
If he goesw it's good for both sides. His transfer pays for hte Metro's player salaries for this season. Then an American plays for one of the most storied sides and well supported in the history of football. The league will replace him with a GK adequate enough to help them win the MLScup this year. What will hurt the Metro more is losing Pope and Mathis to Nats duty for 2 months. While reading your post I thought you were going to say that JP was going to be the new play by play guy for ManU.
For Tim Howard its a no brainer. As for replacing Howard, I dont think that will be much of a problem because if theres one thing America has its plenty of quality goalkeepers. What Messing said though is correct. He was speaking about how the league is viewed by the media and potential fans in this country. Many media members view MLS as a minor league and therefore give it that type of coverage. Many potential fans see a move like this in midseason and it just confirms their notion of MLS as a minor league to feed Europe therefore they scoff at it and do not support it. Others say to themselves how does this league expect me to invest my time and interest in this team when they just traded our best player in midseason while we're in the middle of a win streak. Just imagine if the Nets in the middle of season traded money for Jason Kidd. Its unthinkable. I thought the best possible situation for everyone involved would be if Howard could finish the season with the Metros then go to Manu. That would allow MLS to save face. Then it would just be like a free agent leaving to go to another club in the offseason. Sports fans in this country are used to that.
there is no travesty here. if its one thing this league has proven is that it will not transfer its stars easily. plus we're talking about international football here. mls does not sit in a vaccuum (sp?). we have to keep the lines open to the big money teams in football. WE NEED THE $$$$$$$$$!!! we're not going to act as if we're desperate. we've proven that. but we must deal reasonably when a good offer comes. especially if its a goalkeeper!
I don't know...the things I read at BigSoccer notwithstanding (), I like to think that a lot of MLS are pretty soccer saavy, especially when it comes to recognizing MLS' place in the world. We are not Serie A or the Premiership. MLS' biggest stars are always open for poaching. While it is always disappointing to lose a star (especially mid-season), I think most MLS fans recognize that the fact that the Man Utds of the world want any of our players is a sign of progress. It shows the league is working at one of its primary goals--the development of U.S. players. Plus, the $$ in MLS' coffers doesn't hurt. Maybe one day we'll be able to spend the kind of money to make us a real tier one league. Until then, I think we have to accept that our league, like Ajax in Holland, has to get used to this sort of thing.
You are correct, sir! Though an essential part to any good team, how many fans come out to see the keeper? Not many. Given the glut of quality keepers the US produced losing one ain't that big a deal. There wouldn't be half as much whining if it were any other team than the Mutts.
sell timmy for as much as possible... league gets richer, US National team gets better... and all we gotta do is send matt reis over to the meadow lands and all is fixed! that star issue is a big deal...but if you can get 10mil as apposed to 2 mil... i say you should take it... use that money to produce more stars.
In the past, an athletic American kid who was talented in many sports usually wouldn't choose soccer as his main sport. If he wanted to be a pro athlete, he'd follow the money and choose basketball, football, or baseball. But if Americans like Tim Howard continue to land lucrative contracts with top European clubs, I think you'll see more kids decide they'd like to become pro soccer players. Even if the best of them end up overseas, some will remain here in the USA, or at least play here in the early stages of their careers, and to me that's nothing but a plus for American soccer.
Well said! Not everyone is 7 foot tall or weighs 325 pounds or lives in a place where they skate on ice every season of the year. Soccer is more everyman's game. People have a better chance at having success at soccer than making it in other pro sports because of this.
Shep Messing is a good analyst and I like listening to him but he strikes me as someone with a huge ego. I think he got this one totally wrong.
I don't think you can simply ask "is he worth 3 million to the MetroStars and MLS?" Yes, you add up how many tickets you think Tim sells to games at Giants Stadium, and how much the success he engenders is worth to the MetroStars. It's harder to quantify how many tix he helps sell away from home -- how much credibility he gives the league. At some point you have ask what impact the loss of players will have on the quality of play, which is of vast importance to the league's financial health. But it's very hard to put a price tag on that. BUT: *3 million is a respectful offer for an MLS goalkeeper. *Timmy might do more good for MLS playing for Man United. *Timmy is ready for the next challenge and European seasoning would be great for him. If this translates to US success, that helps MLS. *If keepers could become true superstars in the US, Friedel would be one already. *Losing Timmy probably won't impact the quality of MLS play in any great way because there are a lot of great goalkeepers stateside - and the Metros have had no problem finding them.
If you really think that, then all's I can say is, your experience with 9 year old boys is very different from mine.
I take it that you see that kids want to be Barry Bonds, Shaq, Peyton Manning, and other big four sports athletes. What vw says, is not inconceivable. I think that exposure of the game here would help (I'm not sure what Manchester United means to American kids). But once we get better kids playing, that could help the sport to perpetuate itself. Maybe then we will have a good enough league such that players won't have to go to Europe. I hope that good things develop for soccer here (and Canada too).
Why would you choose age 9? Take that same argument and apply it to a 13- or 14-year old and there's a legitimate point being made.
Because I think that very, very few potentially great (and I'm defining that loosely, by great I mean, someone who would make it to the Nats pool, or at least be an MLS all-star multiple times) would forsake soccer for another sport at age 13. And like I said, 9 year olds aren't thinking about how much money they can make in a given sport. I hope this next comment ends the discussion on this issue rather than hijacks the thread, but it is my belief that the biggest single problem we have in developing players is inadequate coaching for youth players. Starting from well-meaning fathers who never played taking the reins of 7 year old teams. Little league baseball coaches are much better than the equivalent soccer coaches. And it doesn't get any better as the kids age. Our player pool is big enough; if our participation rate is, say, 1/3 of England's, we still have many more in the pool, and more open space and good weather. It's the coaching that holds us back.
I know all the kids on my son's 11 year-old soccer team are excited about Timmy goin to ManU. At the same time, my son is disappointed that we won't be seeing him at the swamp anymore. FWIW, I think MLS and TH are making the right move. Without change there is no growth!
Well, at a minimum, Tim Howard to Manchester United is a great opportunity personally for him, and probably for MLS and soccer in the United States as well. It might still seem a little foreign for a U.S. player to do well in the Bundesliga for Leverkeusen, but if Timmy stars for Man U, that's like being the ace pitcher on the Yankees, or (for you Superdave) playing point guard for Duke. And on the side note, not to thread jack, could also positively impact youth soccer in making dreams of stardom in soccer more realistic for the multitalented 12-year old.
Hmmm, Let's see if I got this straight. Metros lose Howard. League gets around $4 million (or whatever's left after Timmy gets his take). Metros then replace Tim w/ Joe Cannon. Joe Cannon was either 1st 11 or Goalkeeper of the year (can't remember). Cannon also has a year of top-flight Euro training under his belt. IMO, Cannon happens to be better than Howard. Even if you feel differently, Cannon for Timmy is essentially a wash. And to top it off, Cannon is probably the most charismatic American goalkeeper in MLS history. The only downside is roster turnover. But, soon enough the fans in NJ will be loving Joe Cannon.
I agree that coaching holds us back. But it's also the youth development system we have that hurts us. At least in Texas, playing for a top youth team typically involves forking out thousands of dollars each year to pay for the coachs' salaries, travel expenses, etc. And while these select teams usually offer some scholarships, for the most part they're relatively few in number. On the Burn, for instance, while there are some American players who come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds -- for instance, Chivas Martinez is from Carson, CA -- most of the American players are from relatively affluent suburbs. Fortunately, via programs like the Super Y League, it does seem as though US soccer is making an effort to attract a more diverse group of American talent to the ranks of pro soccer. But for the forseable future, I imagine that most of the top U.S. youth players will come from a much more affluent background than is typical for the top youth players in football, baseball, etc.