said:
"Tim becoming a goalkeeper was a completed accident. I had
Tim at the Central Jersey Soccer Club from around 12 years
of age and although he was one of my top five outfield
players, he could never quite break into the New Jersey
state side.
"It was only by chance that one of my colleagues decided the
goalkeeper for the state team wasn't good enough. Tim had
quite useful handling skills because he played a lot of
basketball and he also liked diving around a lot, so we
asked him if he fancied playing in goal.
"His mother was completely opposed to it. Her other son had
got hurt playing US football and was scared Tim would get
injured. In the end, we managed to persuade her to
compromise and she allowed him to play one half and no more.
That went on for an entire season, after which Tim put his
foot down and said he wanted to play all the time.”
Howard tipped off a friend who did scouting work for both
Bolton and Manchester City.
"I told him we had this fantastic kid and they had to check
him out. It was only when he found out United had signed him
that he realised I had been deadly serious.
"If Brad (Friedel) can make it, Tim can too. Brad is
obviously an excellent goalkeeper but I sometimes think he
is a bit stiff. Tim is far more athletic but what he doesn't
have is the experience."