The Manchester candidate: Tim Howard stepped directly into the fire at Manchester United and came out smoking - soccer - Interview

Soccer Digest, Dec, 2003 by Michael Lewis

WHILE TIM HOWARD AND HIS wife Laura strolled through downtown Manchester, England in early September. paparazzi secretly snapped a photo of the newlyweds. That's just part of life if you play for Manchester United--England's equivalent of the New York Yankees and Hollywood rolled into one.

Howard joined Manchester United in July after five-plus seasons with the MetroStars--becoming the first American goalkeeper in Manchester's history--and is now the team's starter. It's a long way from North Brunswick, N.J., where Howard grew up, to the best-known soccer team in the world. "It let me know that people are watching us," says Howard of the paparazzi. "Whether they're malicious or not, they're out to put your [private] business in the public eye."

That would never happen with the MetroStars--unless J-Lo and Ben showed up on the team bus. Of course, the stakes are much higher now--United have visions of another English Premiership title and the European Champions League crown, and fans simply don't settle for second best.

"When you're at Manchester United, everything is scrutinized, every little thing," says Howard. "There's a pressure to perform every day that is greater [than in MLS]. Pressure can bust pipes or make diamonds. I turn that pressure into something I can enjoy."

Sipping on an energy drink after practice at United's $33.6 million state-of-the-art suburban training center, Howard talks about his new life. He wears a Yankees cap backward, although he roots for the Atlanta Braves. "I am a Yank," he says proudly.

Howard and his wife have settled into a three-story old Victorian house with a basement--paid for by United--in suburban Wilmslow.

"It's a very posh shopping kind of town." he says. "Cobblestone streets." Howard lives a two-minute drive from U.S. World Cup vets Brad Friedel (Blackburn Rovers), Claudio Reyna (Manchester City), and Eddie Lewis (Preston North End). "It will be nice to get together for dinner with them," he says. "What a small world."

The 108-acre Trafford Training Centre in suburban Carrington, which opened in 2000, is an amazing complex. It houses 14 soccer fields for the club as well as its reserve and youth teams. It also has an indoor field and an indoor-sized field outdoors. It also boasts a sauna, massage rooms, a hydrotherapy pool, weight room, squash, and basketball courts and a cafeteria for the players. "The place is massive," says Howard.

A typical day has Howard driving--yes, he has adapted to driving on the left side of the road in a relatively short time in a BMW 3 Series that United gave him (he is expected to upgrade to a 5 Series)--to the practice facility at 9:30 a.m., where he has breakfast with his teammates.

Practice begins at 10:30 with the guys playing 5 v 2 for 20 minutes. The squad splits up and the goalkeepers do possession and ball work before the team comes together again for a small-sided scrimmage before finishing around 1 p.m. The players have the option of having lunch there. Two or three times a week, the team also does weight training after practice.

Players have the rest of the day to themselves. "It's not that different than what coach [Bruce] Arena does or what coach [Bob] Bradley does in New York," says Howard. "It's very comparable and very enjoyable.

"Goalkeeping isn't tremendously different because you can't re-invent the wheel. Goalkeeping is goalkeeping. Keep the ball out of the net. You do certain drills. The theories are the same."

Performing in front of bigger crowds and packed stadiums with the fans literally right on top of the players don't raze Howard one bit. In fact, Howard says: Bring it on. "The fans don't ever really bother me, to be honest with you," he says. "They obviously chant different things about the team and about certain players. You would think and I would think that playing in front of more fans the harder it is. Whether there is 10,000 or 80,000, there is no affect on how I play. In fact, the bigger the crowd, the better. Whether they're for me or against me, it doesn't matter."

So far, so good for the 24-year-old goalkeeper. Through the end of September--had allowed two goals in seven matches. "The shots are a little bit harder," says Howard. "They take shots a little bit quicker. They bend the ball a little bit more. I have to adapt."

In his first match for United in England, Howard made the mistake of not having enough players in the defensive wall on a free kick that led to an Arsenal goal. But any misgivings about his performance was rectified during the penalty-kick shootout in which he stoned two Arsenal players, making saves on their attempts to help ManU to yet another trophy. The silver plaque already, has been displayed in the middle of the trophy room at the club's museum at Old Trafford.

One goal cost United in a 1-0 loss at Southampton on Aug. 31, their first league defeat since last year's Boxing Day match. Howard kept United afloat with several stellar saves, but Southampton's James Beattie headed home a goal off a comer kick with two minutes left.