USA goalkeeper Tim Howard has released an apologetic statement following his comments after Saturday's CONCACAF Gold Cup final.
The Everton gloveman was unhappy with the fact that the post match ceremony for winners Mexico was presented in Spanish despite the match being played in California and made his feelings public by saying: "I think it was a [expletive] disgrace that the entire postmatch ceremony was held in Spanish. You can bet your ass if we were in Mexico City, it wouldn't be all in English."
But Howard has since responded by issuing an apology for his language but stands by his decision to criticize the closing ceremony of the tournament.
"First, I would like to apologize for my language," Howard's statement read. "I am the father of young children, and I certainly do not believe profanity is appropriate in public comments. I was caught up in the heat of the moment.
"In any important international match with postgame ceremonies, you would hope the tournament organizers would make sure that the primary language of each participating team is used so that the participants can understand what is being said," the statement continued. "To fail to do this is, in my opinion, disrespectful to the players.
"When this occurs on your home soil, it is particularly insulting. We, as American players, were asked to participate in a postgame ceremony at a match in Los Angeles and we are standing there trying to show good sportsmanship and yet the ceremony is going on and we are just looking at one another struggling to understand a word.
"It was, to be honest, humiliating, and I firmly believe the tournament organizers should not have put us in that position."
