...off the post!

Here's an interview Sports Illustrated's Grant Wahl conducted with Tim Howard on the heels of his recently signed extension with Man U.

The excerpts I found most interesting:

SI.com: Is there any chance you might be loaned somewhere else next season, and would you be open to that if United brought it up?

Howard: When you're talking about Sir Alex Ferguson, the manager knows best. He's been in the game such a long time, and he's such an intelligent manager. I don't think that's the case, but if that were brought up and that was something he thought was necessary, I'd completely trust his judgment. But I don't think that's the case at this point in time. The club and I are well aware that as long as I put things right, we'll go forward and I can be where I want to be.

So no on a loan move, then.

SI.com: Switching gears to the U.S. national team, what's your status these days, and have you spoken recently to head coach Bruce Arena?

Howard: I'm certainly in the mix, battling and competing. Bruce and I have spoken about my current situation. I've been dealing with some shoulder injuries. Predominantly my left shoulder, but it's actually both. I saw a specialist, and there's bone rubbing on bone causing pain. So much so that I've had trouble sleeping, and it causes pain in training and matches. So I need to get those rested and sorted out, because if not then I'll need surgery, and that's the last thing I want. We're going to try rest and maybe an anti-inflammatory injection, so that puts me out of the next three U.S. matches [a friendly against England on May 28 and upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Costa Rica and Panama].

Otherwise I would have been involved for those three matches. In terms of my status as a starter or not, I don't know. I know for certain I'd be involved. Then going forward to the Gold Cup [July 7-24], we are back in preseason training with Man United on June 25. So that puts me out of the Gold Cup.

Out for the summer. This won't help his bid to overtake Keller or hold off Marcus Hahnemann. Then again...

SI.com: I know you want to be the No. 1 U.S. 'keeper at the World Cup one year from now. Hypothetically, what would need to happen between now and then in your mind to get in that position?

Howard: When it comes to positions with the national team, particularly in the World Cup, it's about who's playing on a regular basis and who's in form. I hope that that's the way it plays out -- because politics does play a part, and there's no sense in hiding that. Yet I'm hopeful politics won't play a part and the best goalkeeper playing at the time will play. But I don't make the decisions, I just try and help them along.

I'm not sure how to interpet this. The "politics" bit sounds more like something Friedel would have said.

All in all, a good interview by Wahl. He asked the important questions and Howard handled them well.