'He Leads A Team'

Tim Howard praised by US team-mates in lead up to award announcement.

Tim Howard has received glowing references from his international team-mates as the USA prepare to name their Player of the Year.

The Everton goalkeeper has been in fine fettle for the Stars and Stripes in 2008, keeping clean sheets in five out of six 2010 World Cup qualifiers.

The rise to US No 1 has been a remarkable one for the New Jersey-born stopper. Having started out in the American semi-professional leagues, Howard made his name in Major League Soccer with New York Metrostars before moving across the Atlantic to join Manchester United.

There he cut a popular figure with supporters but it is since his switch to Everton in May 2006 that Howard has matured into arguably one of the leading goalkeepers in the world game.

"You can see how much he has grown in the past few years," USA midfielder Pablo Mastroeni said. "The way he leads a team, and talks to his defenders, and makes all the saves you need him to make. He has a confidence that teammates can feed off."

While an 8-0 win against Barbados left Howard with little to do, three successive 1-0 victory's for the USA saw the 29-year-old produce a trio of match-winning performances.

Add to that a string of world-class saves made in a goalless friendly with Argentina, the game's top-ranked team, and it's not difficult to see why he is being tipped to pip LA Galaxy striker Landon Donovan and Fulham's Clint Dempsey to the Player of the Year crown. 

"In certain moments, when things aren't really going well for you, you hope that your goalkeeper can make a few saves, and Timmy went above and beyond that tonight," Donovan said on the evening of the Argentina match. "We can't rely on that all the time because that's not fair on him, but you hope in certain moments he can make those types of plays. He's shown that he can rise to that level over and over again."

And far from catching the eye on the pitch, Howard has developed into a player his team-mates, and manager, can turn to off it.

"It's important that the team understands how we're improving and understands how to play in bigger games," USA coach Bob Bradley said. "I think the key has been some of the experienced guys. Timmy has played a very big role in terms of making sure that guys understand a little bit about what these tougher games are like."

The winner of the US National Player of the Year Award will be announced on November 11.