Howard to Manchester United?

[GoldenEagle]

Interesting....

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/headlinenews?id=267711&cc=5901

[Easy Mac]

Yeah, heard reports about this for a few months. The last I heard they were going to wait until the end of the MLS season before bringing Howard in for an extended look. With Barthez's collapse in the CL, its not too surprising.

My question is, has he played enough games for the Nats to qualify for a work permit. It says 5 so far this year, but isn't it like 75% of the teams games over 2 years or something?

[GoldenEagle]

Work Permit will probably be an issue. But Man Utd can pull strings and I think they will get him one or this wouldnt have leaked out.

[henry296]

He should be getting more starts too, since Friedal and Keller aren't playing the Confederations Cup.

Todd

[moriarty]

Great for him ... too bad I'll have to root against him.

I'd love to see some more outfield players play in EPL too.

[Calis]

I'd heard that rumor circulating a few times, I'm not sure what's happening though. Where would Howard fit in, 3rd string? I'm going brain dead here, but I was thinking Man U had 2 pretty good prospects behind Barthez, can't for the life of me remember who though. I'm just curious if Howard will get any time if this move were to happen.

[Katon]

United have Roy Carroll and Ricardo behind Barthez. All three of them are passable keepers, but none are really CL-winning material.

[Ragone]

It's man utd.. of course he will get a work permit.. if it was say.. Man City or Everton trying to bring him in.. then it would be a issue

[GoldenEagle]

Just wanted to add that Soccernet is a very reliable source. They wouldnt post anything unless they knew for a fact.

[daedalus]

Originally posted by Katon
United have Roy Carroll and Ricardo behind Barthez. All three of them are passable keepers, but none are really CL-winning material.

Please pardon the Hattrick incursion here but my first thought at reading that was, "maybe Ferguson is looking for a solid". Heh.

Please return to your regularly scheduled programming.

[condors]

this has been reported alot and sir alex does have his eyes on tim howard

at the end of the season roy caroll got the start in the net for manutd and did well may have a chance to be #1 keeper next season.

Accourding to reports manutd are also interested in niemi(not sure how to spell it but he is the #1 keeper at southampton) and brad friedal who was the premiership keeper of the year. Friedal is probally the #1 target but blackburn won't be quick to let him leave, i am not sure that niemi is a step up from howard from what i have seen from him the last few seasons with the metrostars and a few games on the national team i would get him although the MLS can be a stickler on negotionating a fair transfer fee.

If Howard does go i am not sure he will beat out roy caroll who was a stud in the lower divsions before manutd poached him he also played well for the most part when given the chance(he did have a horrible game in the begining of the season when barthez was injured but 3 of their starting 4 defenders were out as well and manutd would have lost no matter who was in the goal that day

[Neuqua]

First Keller, then Freidel, and now Howard.. I'm loving this.. And we seem to have a good wave of young outfielders who will be in Europe within a few years like Donovan (hopefully), Beasley, Bocanegra, and more..

Neuqua

[MIJB#19]

Originally posted by Easy Mac
My question is, has he played enough games for the Nats to qualify for a work permit. It says 5 so far this year, but isn't it like 75% of the teams games over 2 years or something? in case you didn't know yet, the European Court of Justice is to overrule the national team rule the (English) FA uses.
I think it was a player from Belarus (or something) who won a case against discrimination based on nationality a few weeks ago.

Say hello to Bosman Ruling Nr 2.

[Katon]

Originally posted by condors
Accourding to reports manutd are also interested in niemi(not sure how to spell it but he is the #1 keeper at southampton) and brad friedal who was the premiership keeper of the year.

Funnily enough, Ferguson doesn't seem to be showing much interest in Chelsea's Carlo Cudicini, who - PFA Team of the Season aside - is the best keeper in the division.

While we're on the subject, a quick comment on awards. There are two different awards which could be called the Keeper of the Year award. One is the starting spot in the player-selected Team of the Season, which Friedel won this year; the other is the Barclaycards Golden Gloves award, which went to Cudicini.

[Calis]

Originally posted by MIJB#19
in case you didn't know yet, the European Court of Justice is to overrule the national team rule the (English) FA uses.

Hadn't heard about this, any idea how they plan to do it if the present version does get canned? That would be interesting to hear.

[ColtCrazy]

I'm not surprised. I saw Carrol got the start versus Charlton after Barthez's collapse. He let them equalize by leaving the net to kick the ball away, kicking it straight to a Charlton player who knocked it back in the net before he got back. Hilarious really.

[MIJB#19]

Well, regarding the foreign players must be internationals rule:
Article from The Court of Justice of the European Communities (http://www.curia.eu.int/en/actu/communiques/cp03/aff/cp0335en.htm)

It seems it isn't a worldwide decission, but rather a potential Europe based expansion of Bosman-rule countries.

(Trying to put the correct words in place is pretty difficult with the formal English sentances).