Tim Howard has admitted a new Premier League football
will be a ‘nightmare’ for goalkeepers.
The Nike Total 90 Omni Hi-Vis ball, which was unveiled this
week, will be used in every Premier League game in the winter as it
is designed for maximum visibility under floodlights.
But it is also designed to allow players to strike the ball
accurately no matter where they strike it, and Everton goalkeeper
Howard knows it will make it far harder to keep clean sheets.
“It’s an incredible ball because it moves even faster and
players can make it go exactly where they want almost 100 percent
of the time,” he told The Daily Mirror.
“But, let’s face it, no one will manufacture anything geared
towards keepers.
“People want to see goals and, with this, players like Ronaldo
can manipulate it and make it fly in at incredible speeds, which is
basically a nightmare for us.
“The ball is much truer, but it comes at incredible speeds. The
game is getting faster and faster, and nowhere more than in shots
on goal.
“I saw a game at Sunderland a couple of weeks ago and Kieran
Richardson struck the ball from about 20 yards – you couldn’t even
see it.
“They can shoot now from anywhere.”
He added: “Fans will always want goals and that’s part of
life.
“One day, I guess we will make the goals bigger to make it even
more exciting – and maybe that the day I retire!”
