Maybe I'm in need of some enlightenment here. Through the means of educational TV (such as The Simpsons), I have always thought that a sufferer from Tourettes Syndrome cussed and swore for most of his waking life.
However, just a few moments ago, I encountered this in Thursdays The Times:
Now, aside from my astonishment at an American actually playing for what is argueably the best football club in the whole wide world, I am dumfounded that someone with this awful disease could actually perform at all in any competetive sport. I mean, if he has this swearing disease, is he going to get a red card and be sent off every time he plays?Manchester United expect to complete the acquisition of Tim Howard, the American goalkeeper who suffers from Tourette’s syndrome, within a fortnight.
Officials from Major League Soccer (MLS), who hold the 23-year-old’s contract, arrived in Manchester on Tuesday to hold negotiations with Peter Kenyon, the United chief executive, over an initial £1.4 million deal. The transfer is understood to have been agreed in principle after extensive talks between Kenyon and Ivan Gazidis, the MLS deputy commissioner. Further payments will be made to MLS if and when he makes a specified number of appearances.
Sir Alex Ferguson also plans to sign a second goalkeeper this summer, with Friedel, another United States international, understood to be the leading contender. Fabien Barthez has been told that he can return to France, while Roy Carroll, impatient at his lack of first-team opportunities, is, like Seaman, attracting interest from Birmingham.
Howard, who plays for the New York/New Jersey MetroStars, would not qualify for a work permit, having won just one cap at full international level, but United have learnt that he should qualify as a European citizen because his mother is Hungarian.
Or am I in need of futher enlightenment?
Englishman.