Tony Meola remembers asking Tim Howard what the teenager was writing in his journal when the two were teammates and roommates with the MetroStars more than a decade ago.
Howard replied that he was recalling being a youngster and watching Meola play.
``Wow, this kid's young,'' Meola thought. ``He's making me feel really old right now.''
It also seemed fitting.
``Tim Howard was meant to do this from the time he was a kid,'' the former U.S. national team goalkeeper said Friday of the current American starter.
``This is Tim Howard's calling, and this is Tim Howard's time right now.''
His time starts when the U.S. opens the World Cup against England on Saturday. Meola has watched how much Howard has matured the last four years.
``He was an athlete, sometimes out of position, but was so good athletically where he could make up for it,'' Meola said. ``The best goalkeepers in the world are the ones that make it look real easy. It's not an easy position, but oftentimes it becomes difficult when you're out of position, you don't read the game properly, you don't read it one step ahead of time.''
When Meola was 20, it ``killed me'' to hear people say that goalies peaked between the age of 31-35. Now he knows it's true, recognizing the full value of experience.
Howard turned 31 this year. Meola believes he's one of the top 10 goalkeepers in the world.
``Tim Howard is certainly a guy that could keep you in a game, make the save you need him to make, and really just command the respect from his teammate,'' Meola said.
