Tim Howard has decided against retiring from international soccer, but he will not play again for the United States until September 2015. The 35-year-old goalkeeper, who many thought might have played his last match for the U.S. at the World Cup, said that he wanted to spend more time with his family, but would return to the team after next summer.
Tim Howard taking break from USMNT, will miss Gold Cup
Tim Howard is not retiring from the U.S., but he is stepping away for a year, and Brad Guzan is now the team’s No. 1 goalkeeper.
Jamie McDonald
“Having played overseas for the last 12 years and missing out on spending time with my family, making this commitment to my family is very important at this time,” Howard said. “Jurgen [Klinsmann] has always been up front with all the players in saying you have to earn your place, which is something I agree with, so I look forward to coming back next fall and competing for a spot.”
Howard’s break will keep him out of next summer’s Gold Cup, which is the next major tournament for the U.S. If the team wins it, not only will they be crowned confederation champions, but they will get a spot in the 2017 Confederations Cup.
The New Jersey native has been the Americans’ starter since 2007, when he took over for Kasey Keller, and he has had a great run for the U.S. His performance against Belgium in the World Cup round of 16 this summer was one of the best goalkeeper showings the tournament has ever seen, and not at all shocking for a team that has come to depend on their star shot stopper.
With Howard set to step away, Brad Guzan becomes the Americans’ starting goalkeeper. The 29-year-old has been the team’s No. 2 for years and performed well when he played for an injured and suspended Howard last qualifying cycle.
There has been talk that even if Howard decided to return for another World Cup cycle, he may not be the team’s starting goalkeeper by the end of it. Guzan has been excellent for Aston VIlla, arguably better than Howard for Everton, and now he will get a year in the top spot for the U.S. Even when Howard comes back next fall, Guzan will be in the pole position to be the team’s starter.
“He has a wish to take a step back to take care of his family,” Klinsmann said. “And we came to the conclusion that it’s absolutely fine that he takes time off from international soccer until after next summer’s Gold Cup, and then we re-evaluate. I told him as long as he is the same Tim Howard that we always see performing well, he will be welcome back with open arms and right back competing for a spot. He knows that he has to prove that he deserves to be back.”
For a player like Howard, who has been a central figure for club and country since 2002, wanting to take a break is natural. For the next year, he will get to rest and hang out with his family during international breaks, and he will have two months next summer to do the same. But by the time he’s ready to suit up for the U.S. again, he may not have a starting spot anymore.
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