If Tim Howard’s told you once, he’s told you 1,000 times.
Or like twice. He’s told you like twice, including Tuesday on Sirius radio. Anyway, the USMNT goalkeeper has shot down rumors that he could be headed back to Major League Soccer anytime soon.
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Tipped by some for a Goodison Park departure due to improved play from Joel Robles during Howard’s recovery from injury, the 35-year-old backstop has been given a vote of confidence from manager Roberto Martinez.
And now he’s doubled down on retiring as a Toffee. From MLSSoccer.com:“There seems to be a lot being said about my return,” Howard told the satellite radio program on Tuesday. “Two weeks ago some things popped up on Twitter and I had to call my agent to find out what was going on because I didn’t know anything about it and neither did he.”
“I’ve still got several seasons left on my contract with Everton and at the end of that I want to be done playing.
“What happens between then? I’ve got no idea. It is a business but I’m happy where I am and don’t know anything about those rumors.”
Of course, it wasn’t a hands-down, “I’ll never play for anyone but Everton.” The soccer world turns quickly, and Howard laid out in his book how he went from 44 starts and a PFA Premier League goalkeeper of the year at Manchester United in 2004 to 12 league starts a year later to a loan to Everton soon after.
So if Everton does one day decide to move onto Robles or another keeper, Howard could then turn his attention to another team or MLS. He said he wants to be on a beach, retired, at 40, and the 2018 World Cup coincides with the end of his Everton deal.
It is really funny -- not necessarily haha -- that web rumors and gossip had Howard calling his agent to say, “Not really, right?”
