Questions for goalkeeper Tim Howard during a press conference hosted by the National Soccer Hall of Fame that will induct him at the May 4 ceremony in Frisco included a query about views on the current state of American goalkeeping.
“Gosh, we had this goalkeeper thing figured for a long time, didn’t we? It seems like we’ve hit a little bit of a rut,” Howard said when asked about this generation of U.S. goalkeepers struggling to gain a footing at top-level clubs.
The 45-year-old Howard, the USA’s goalkeeper at the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, played for English clubs Manchester United and Everton after going pro with his home state MetroStars (now Red Bulls) in his teens.
“One of the things that Kasey Keller said to me when I signed with Manchester United,” Howard said, “and it stuck with me forever. He said, ‘Look, in order to be judged as a goalkeeper, you have to play a 100 games at the highest level.
“And right now, our young guys aren’t getting those games to be able to judge them.”
Howard played 399 English Premier League games — and in all competitions, more than 400 games for Everton, nearly 80 games for Manchester United, in addition to 190 MLS games.
“I think the goalkeeper coaching has dropped a level as well if I’m being brutally honest,” Howard said. “When you look at these top-level goalkeepers that we produced through the years, they’ve always had high-level goalkeeper coaches.
“I can say that because I’ve seen the worst of the worst, and I’ve seen the best of the best in my career. I think high-level goalkeeper coaching is down. The game has continued to evolve and I don’t know if our young goalkeepers are getting pushed as hard as they need to — you know, to that breaking point.”
On whether he was worried about what the quality of U.S. goalkeeping will be at the 2026 World Cup, Howard said:
“We’ve got a few years to go. I like Zack [Steffen]. I like Matt [Turner]. I do like Matt’s wherewithal, fortitude and mental toughness.
“Zack’s talent is unmatched. I’ve always said about Zack, he could be the greatest U.S. goalkeeper of all time because of the physical tools that he possesses.
“Obviously, the ball’s in their court. I’m worried more about the team as a whole and making sure they’re in the right place.”
Howard succeeded a string of American goalkeeping legends, Keller, Brad Friedel and fellow New Jerseyan Tony Meola, the USA’s 1990 and 1994 World Cup goalkeeper:
Ask about Meola’s influence on his career, Howard said:
“Tony was awesome. Tony was American soccer. Three kids from New Jersey, Tab [Ramos], John [Harkes] and Tony were everything. They should have statues everywhere for what they’ve been for U.S. Soccer and putting us on the map.
“Back in 1990, here I am a kid and I’m just reading Soccer America, seeing Tony on the cover. Then trying to dive around in a goalkeeper kit that he wore and idolizing this guy. And lo and behold, I got a chance to work with him.”
Meola was the MetroStars’ starting goalkeeper when Howard joined the MLS team. Howard made his MLS debut in 1998 at age 18.
“Tony became a huge mentor to me,” Howard said. “For me to be his understudy, learning and watching the way that he performed was pretty awesome. He got suspended against Miami [yellow-card accumulation] and I got my first MLS cap, if you will, against the Colorado Rapids in Giants Stadium.
“And he wrote me a beautiful note in my locker — again this is a guy I looked up to — wishing me luck and telling me how proud he was of me. And that was pretty cool to have for my first game.”
Howard is in the NSHOF Class of 2024, elected on the player ballot, along with Francisco Marcos (builder ballot), Josh McKinney (player ballot) and Tisha Venturini-Hoch (veteran ballot).
Curious what Howard thought about the women’s keeper situation, too.
I couldn’t decide which superlative best describes Howard. He is worthy of them all.
We don’t have a goalie ‘rut’, we lack good goalie coaching/ training techniques in ball placement. Our goalies are taught to play basically as how goalies have played back since the 50’s and 60’s and 70’s. We’re so behind in good goalie training….Goalies still feel more comfortable standing between the posts instead of coming out to get the ball or DISTRIBUTE, or PLACE, a ball accurately to go on attack. This weakness in goalies is so obvious in all of our goalies up to the highest levels. …One of the problems is that goalie coaches lack this aspect of goalie training themselves.
Italian goalies and defenders had a real problem with technical footwork back in the early 90’s when the new rule of not allowing the goalie to pick up the ball after a pass back..The handwriting was on the wall and to this day Italian goalies are still weak in ball good ball distribution as their Italian defenders. George Chiellini recently complained about poor Italian defenders
This additional aspect to playing goalie is not new for it started with the Dutch in ’74WC, where the goalie became the extra libero to cover the space left behind when the backline moved up the midfield. The goalie Michels chose was actually a field player who played a lot of ‘street pickup’ soccer and sort of became a goalie later on…Jan Jongbloed, unfortunately passed away this year but in his autobiography he likewise stated as other players that they never “Total Soccer” or whatever that was called and has no idea how that ever got started….
Cruyff as coach of Ajax in the early 80’s employed the same tactic, but the goalie became even more involved in the field play. Later as coach of Barcelona, at a kitchen table discussion with journalist Johan Derksen along withCruyff’s assisstant Bruins Slot, Cruyff was thinking of totally getting rid of the goalie and employ a field player as goalie….He was finally talked out of it. There were some great discussion at Cruyff’s kitchen table, Derksen stated, especially when Beckenbauer came to visit Cruyff..On that visit, Bruins Slot stated that listening to these two talk high level soccer made my ears flap back and forth for it was so far above his head…Of course, this is the real type of soccer knowledge that should talked about at a Coaching Academy for coaches to learn from, but instead they receive warmed-over spit.
Cruyff had Frans Hoek a former pro goalie himself teach the goalies kicking, passing techniques..Van der Sar, former Ajax goalie, later came to Manchester United showed those excellent distributing abilities which is likewise shown by the former Ajax goalie at Man.Utd. Onana ..I enjoy just watching Onana passing and kicking with either leg accurately to the players…
In sum there has a been a progression in the evolution of playing goalie that our goalkeeping coaches and trainers simply have totally missed. Just look at Matt Turner playing for Nottingham who just messed up so bad with his poor foot skills. Tim Howard, Kasey Keller, and Brad Friedel, Meola likewise would have shown the same weakness in ball distribution like Matt Turner….
If you look at the bigger picture ,we as a soccer nation as a whole lack good skills whether be a goal or player….I think the USSF should begin with a course in ‘real goalie training’ that involves goalie coaches who can actually demonstrate good foot skills and ball placement….Invite Frans Hoek for starters…
Frans Hoek, now in his teaching, training and coach curiculumn refers to the
#1 position as a goalplayer. Frans continues to do coach education of the goalplayer all over the world and frequents the USA often.
Exactly what I’ve been saying for long time. Tim is being kind. The situation – the numbers at the top level – the pipeline – the coaching situation – it is dire. I know all the top teams in my major metro area – including – the MLS team – they are not coaching these kids at a world class level. You saw Ederson come on and take the penalty for Man City, in a losing cause, never-the-less – he’s their keeper and among the best penalty takes on that star studed team. You saw Alison – several years ago – come in for Liverpool and score a goal to salvage Champions league play for them – with his head! I can go deeper into the issue – but I leave it at this – according to the great Petr Cech – GK has three rolls – coordinate the defense – distribute the ball – stop opponent goals – the first two are most important – impact the third – tremendously – and in those two areas – our youth clubs and coaches – completely fail to prepare keepers for the highest levels. This is so simple to arrest. USSF has the tools. The coaches are here that know the way – I’ve met them – what we lack is – the mission and accountability. Take what Howard says here – which is loud and clear – who is responsible for this situation? MLS Academies? USSF? ECNL? Who? Have a nice day!
Howard may like Turner, but Turner simply does not have the feet required to excel in the EPL or European championship competitions. He was OK in the World Cup. Simply OK.
Steffen and Horvath got shunted aside by stronger, even world-class, keepers. I think they were unlucky in their European journeys.
For the long term USMNT, maybe Slonina?
GK training in the US suffers from the same problem as the rest, namely, the lack of well-qualified people to do it, and even to train GK coaches.
Consider the cost of licensing, for example, paid out of one’s own pocket unless one has a club or private benefactor. I am well beyond the time when it makes sense to for me to attain a USSF C license, but I checked the cost any way. The C license offered in my Massachusetts neighborhood costs $1900, only 20 miles away. My club will not pay, so it has to come from my own pocket. Same with anyone else. But at least this C course does not require travel and lodging in addition to cost for people in my ‘hood. The curriculum relies too much on interactive remote stuff. When I did the D long, long ago, we were all together in a classroom and large gym setting, able to learn from one another as well as our instructors.
Ben, I hope you will be satisfied for the money you’re paying. Keep it cheap, pack your own lunch going there…..Maybe Kohl has some coupons for discounts… 🙂 🙂 🙂
Trainer for my son just finished his USSF B and GRB UEFA B in the last 6 months. The amount of time he spent in both these endeavors – is dwarfed by 1 – his experience as a player over a decade as a professional in several countries – and 2 – his self-study of the game – student of the game he is. This is the European attitude to the game. He we need to grow it. As I say above – the coaches are here – frequently – as in the case of my friend – the trainer – now with the two licenses – in the youth context – what you know and how much experience you have – counts for very little here. This – is our biggest issue. There are good GK coaches – I know another Euro coach that coached Howard and all the GKs he mentions above – coached my son one season – top class in all respects – humble, loves the game, student of the game, he won’t leave his mountain hideaway – he’s done his time – and the space – the GK spaced is full of know-it-alls with no pro experience that have high positions – and do not listen to wise men like him. They are here – they are all over – USSF – the only federation that does not require CE for licensees – only recognized UEFA licensees here – the rest – no matter what their level and experience – start from zero – unless they go to a pro track and the tracks are greased. They are here – for GKs – for 9s – for MF’s for fullback – they are all here – just – they are kept under the carpet.
Humble, you may know more about this whole coaching licensing than me and I have not kept up with this garbage and all the goings on about this. The way I look at it, licensed or not, teaching goalie kicking/passing, techniques of the various level has to come from the goalie coach himself as part of his training techniques and overal philosophy of the game.
There are few standout goalies like Onana of Manchester United who has obviously worked on the passing/kicking/placement techniques but how many goalies have this quality like Onana in the EPL for instance….It is not only a problem in the US but seen in other countries as well…
As you see the poor foot distribution skills of Matt Turner’s, you have to ask yourself, how can a goalie go through all the levels of goalie training and expertise he’s received moving all the way up to the National Team not be able to handle a ball with his feet decently??? That says something about our weak ‘goalie training’ here which is endemic throughout our system.
I see two critical things here. One ,our goalies have to work on their own to improve their technique on ball placement which you don’t need a goalie coach for since these exercises can also be applied to field players and Two ,the poor goalie coaching that give little emphasis on these techniques…If I were a goalie and have potential for college ball, I would spend time in the summer with about 20balls working ,applying both feet in various ball placement techniques, THE WHOLE SUMMER….