2010 World Cup Player Profile: Tim Howard

While Group C in this year's World Cup tournament is seen as a lock for England, Team USA may be a tougher nut to crack than they expect. Headlines in London are already celebrating the British team's victory, but there are a couple things that may slow them down a bit. The fact that most of the world has written off the Americans can be a plus for this team in the first round. If England does not take them seriously, the "Yanks" can capitalize on several mistakes and may be able to blank the British. One other thing that many pundits have already pointed out is that for the US to win this bracket all they need to do is keep England off the scoreboard. While this may be a tough feat to accomplish, the Americans have the right goalie to do it. Tim Howard is one of the premier goal tenders in the world and he will be the primary defender on this team. Having already proved himself on the global stage, Howard is in prime position to lead his team to victory and secure a spot in the final round. When it comes to keepers, Howard is one of the best to ever play the game.

Tim Howard has risen through the ranks of goaltenders since his first professional game in 1997 with the North Jersey Imperials. Over the past 13 years, Howard has stunned scouts and opponents both on the field and off. It was due to his exceptional skills that he quickly rose through the ranks and was soon playing on an MLS team. With only one season with the Imperials, he was snatched up and placed on the MetroStars team in New York. It was here that he was vaulted to the world stage. With MLS failing all over the United States, many of the most talented players in the business have gone abroad. Howard was no exception. In 2003, Manchester United scooped up the brilliant goalie and stunned the game around the globe. It was here however, that Howard did show his mortal side. After a bad half season, Manchester decided to drop Howard and he ended up in Everton. This is a mistake that many fans from Manchester still hate to remember. Once in Everton, Howard was back to his normal self. During all of this, Howard has remained a staple to Team USA for all international events. Since his first appearance with the 2000 Olympic team, Howard has been a top choice for US soccer, and in 2002 he received his first Senior Cap against Ecuador. He was the first choice for goalie on this year's World Cup team and will get the lion's share of play in the box for the Americans.

Tim Howard has amassed the awards to prove his stellar ability as well. There have been several awards for this player as he has shined at every level of the game. In 2001, he was awarded the Major League Soccer Goalkeeper of the Year award for his amazingly proficient performance in the box. 2004 brought a special year to Howard while he was with Manchester United. It was here that he made an appearance in the FA Cup and the team continued on to win the Community Shield game. Also in this year, Howard was given the honor of being named to the Professional Footballer's Association Team of the Year. In 2006, Howard was also a part of the Football League Cup championship team (Manchester), and in 2007, he was able to lead the US team to the CONCACAF Gold Cup. 2008 was another banner year for Howard as he was awarded the US Soccer Athlete of the Year award. This was the main precursor to him being drafted by the Harlem Globetrotters as well. Considering the Globetrotters only draft the most elite athletes in the world, this is another award in itself. In '09, Howard showed no signs of slowing and was only getting better. It was then that he earned the Confederations Cup Golden Glove Award and was also appointed to the All Star Team.

While his accolades are numerous, and several of them are missing from the above list, he is no less of a player, nor is he on the decline. Tim has constantly improved his game and is one of the greatest goalies to play the game. It is not only his talent on the field that has won him the honor of playing for the US World Cup Team. Howard is a veteran guy that has seen the pressure and excelled. Not only that but he is a leader for the entire team. The energy and drive that he brings to work every day is highly contagious and Howard has been known to spur a team to greatness. Not only does Howard have the skills to keep England from scoring, he pushes his teammates to cram the ball down the opposition's throat. His leadership and devotion are a key part to the way the entire team functions and their ability to go all the way this year.

While the US may be looked upon as a joke in other countries, they are ready to prove that they can perform at the global level. For many years, the US has been seen as a weak team. This is mainly due to the fact that soccer is not as big to Americans as it is to the rest of the world. Team USA is out to prove that they have the talent, skill, ability, and drive that it takes to win the World Cup this year. Whether they win the whole thing or not, they will prove that the US is a force to be reckoned with. Howard will be the one leading this team to their place in history. One of the most talented teams in the world, armed with one of, if not the, best goal tenders in the sport is about to shake up the entire planet with their dominance in South Africa. Win or lose, Howard is certain to raise a couple eyebrows at the tourney.

Sources:

Tim Howard - U.S. Soccer

Tim Howard - Wikipedia

FIFA.com - Tim Howard