At Manchester United’s press conference at the posh Intercontinental Hotel, the Red Devils paraded in superstar after superstar, the best players in the world. Rio Ferdinand. Ruud van Nistelrooy. In the last group, Roy Keane. And Tim Howard.
Playing against the biggest teams in the world in the English Premier League always has been Howard’s dream. But playing for Man U, the biggest club of them all – the Yankees of soccer – was more like a far-flung fantasy. Tomorrow the fantasy becomes reality.
Howard, a former MetroStar, joined Man U on July 15. With United facing Italian champ Juventus tomorrow at sold-out Giants Stadium as part of the seven-team Champions World tour, the 24-year-old North Brunswick, N.J., native could make his Red Devil debut back at the Meadowlands.
“It’s not that big of a deal [where I debut]. I’m happy to be here,” said Howard. “It’s night and day. Things are more intense; the onus put on everything. It’s 10 times different. It’s a big, massive club. There’s pressure every day, even in warm-ups, as there should be.
“Hopefully I don’t have a stinker [tomorrow], but if I do, I’ll come back from it. It’s like being the new guy again – no one likes to do that, but it’s part of the job. I’ve got to wait for the opportunity as it’s given. Hopefully I can play in the match and play well.”
To understand the scope of Howard’s accomplishment, one has to understand Manchester United. Picture the cash and the championships of the Yankees, the history of Notre Dame and – even without the departed David Beckham – the glitz of the Lakers.
With a fan base of 53 million, a franchise valued at $628 million, and a loaded roster, it’s easy to see why the club is often compared with the Yankees. Not surprisingly, the two teams have a marketing agreement and the same standards of excellence.
“If you join United, there’s always expectation of winning every game,” said van Nistelrooy, who scored 44 goals last season, 25 in the Premiership. “Every team tries to beat you because it’s a great occasion.
“You always have to be ready to give your best. [Howard] has to experience it, and we’ll help him with that. He’s a very focused player and very talented, and I think he’s going to do very well in the Premiership.”
Under manager Alex Ferguson, Man U has won eight of the last 11 Premier titles, and in 1999 completed an unprecedented hat trick by winning the league, FA Cup and its second European Champions Cup.
This is what Howard is joining. The MLS sold the keeper for a $3.6 million payday that could burgeon with incentives. He’ll get a four-year deal that will pay him over $700,000, a car, housing, and a chance to replace starter Fabien Barthez.
“Man United are the biggest club in the world,” Keane said. “There’s pressure on us everywhere to get results. The fans demand a lot. That’s the great part of the job.”
Keane said it’s a “different world for Howard.
“He seems to be a confident lad and he’s stepped in quickly,” he said. “I’m sure Tim will have no problems.”
