As the Colorado Rapids prepare to welcome Tim Howard to the club, the 37-year-old goalkeeper helped the United States secure a 3-1 victory in a friendly over Puerto Rico this weekend. He had one save after replacing Brad Guzan in net at halftime.
Howard will be with the national team for the Copa America, starting June 3. However, head coach Jurgen Klinsmann named Guzan as the starter going into the tournament.
This may make some Rapids fans uneasy, but there isn’t reason to worry. Howard’s absence in the starting 11 is not a sign of decreasing talent or old age, but rather due to his own decisions. Guzan became the go-to keeper for the national team in response to Howard’s self-imposed hiatus after the 2014 World Cup.
“In hindsight I probably shouldn’t have taken that year off,” Howard now says, via ESPN. “By making that decision, I gave people questions they actually didn’t have.”
Rapids fans do have questions, though. At the top of that list is how Howard will fit with the team when he comes over? Darren Copeland, filling in for Marcelo Balboa, discussed this “good problem” on Mile High Sports Radio’s From the Pitch.
Considering Howard’s hefty $2.5 million salary, he will be the starter immediately following his July 8th transfer. The only question is if he will be able to mesh with what head coach Pablo Mastroeni praises as a tight group.
While current goalkeeper Zac McMath has been steady for the club, some of his success is a sign of the Rapids swarming back line. To continue this dominant season, Howard will need to quickly learn how to work with his defenders.
There should be no cause of concern as Howard is a cornerstone of American soccer. His teammates will certainly follow his lead, helping progress the Rapids suffocating defense.
To hear how Howard compares to McMath as well as if the current keeper could be on the trading block, listen to the full podcast below…
https://soundcloud.com/milehighsports/5-22-16-bringing-in-tim-howard-rapids-playing-hard-for-mcmath-from-the-pitch
You can listen to From The Pitch every Sunday from 4p-6p on Mile High Sports AM 1340 or FM 104.7, or stream live any time for the best local coverage of Colorado sports from Denver’s biggest sports talk lineup.
