June 28, 2016 – Colorado Rapids presented Tim Howard, the Colorado Rapids new goalkeeper, at a press conference at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Tuesday afternoon.
Tim Howard smiles while enjoying time with the US Men’s National Team this past month.
The United States Men’s National Team keeper spent the previous 13 seasons playing in England for Everton FC and Manchester United before agreeing a deal to join Colorado.
Howard, affectionately nicknamed “The Secretary of Defense” after his incredible showing against Belgium in the 2014 World Cup, was all smiles on the day and called his move to Colorado “a new chapter” and “a new challenge.”
Howard reiterated several times how ready he was to get out a play. When asked to reflect on his time in England Howard said “I’ve got fond memories, great friends. It’s where my children were born and there’s a lot of great things about what has happened over the last 13 years in England. I’ll be retired for a lot longer, so I’ll have time to look back. Right now, I’m hungry, I’m excited, I love to compete, I love to play and it can’t come soon enough.”
Howard will get a chance to get between the sticks for the Rapids on July 4th as the Rapids host the 2015 MLS Champion Portland Timbers in the Mile High City.
Howard played alongside Rapids Head Coach Pablo Masteroni from 2002 through 2009 for the US Men’s National team and talked about the change in their relationship. “Coach Pablo is a dear friend of mine and now he’s a coach and I have to do everything he says. When we played together from 2002 to 2009, I didn’t always listen, but I promise I’ll be on my best behavior now.”
Colorado currently sit in first place in both the Western Conference and Supporter’s Shield standings, a surprising turn around for a club that finished in last place in the Western Conference in 2015.
When the deal to bring Howard to Colorado from Everton was being built in January, Pablo talked about his distress in learning that Colorado would have to wait until July (because Howard’s Everton contract didn’t expire until the end of June) to have the three time CONCACAF goalkeeper of the year on the field for Colorado. “Initially when we talked about bringing Tim Howard to the team and we found out that it couldn’t be until mid-summer, I thought, ‘This is not good.’”
But positive results began to come in for Colorado, a trend that’s continued through the end of June. Adding The Secretary of Defense in midseason improves the league leading Rapids and could provide a boost to the club.
When asked about the impact Howard would have joining the first place Rapids at this point in the season Coach Mastroeni commented, “It’s funny because if you think about professional sports, you start a certain way and you get to a point and you feel like the expectations are the same. You’ve got to keep winning. But you can’t keep doing it from the same place, there’s got to be some type of ignition, something that’s going to bring a catalyst to the group, something that’s going to re-focus the group, re-energize the group.”
Howard replaces Zac MacMath as the Rapids starter. (Photo Credit: Corbin Elliott)
Howard will replace keeper Zac MacMath who Colorado signed from Philadelphia Union this past offseason following a loan stint with the Rapids in 2015. MacMath recovered from a shaky start to become a very solid goalkeeper playing behind the best defense in MLS. MacMath trained with Howard a few times at Everton and will be one of the most solid back up keepers in MLS. MacMath will surely be on the radar for several squads looking for a solid starting keeper, it’s possible that MacMath will have a short career with Colorado and may be facing the team in a different jersey before too long.
Howards arrival comes at a great time for Colorado as their next four game stretch looks difficult. Colorado hosts the MLS Champion Timbers before traveling to Vancouver to face the Whitecaps. The Rapids then host Sporting KC and the second best team in MLS, FC Dallas. Howard will need to gel with his new team quickly, the next few games could define the Rapids season.
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