photo by Matt West/ISIphotos.com
By FRANCO PANIZO
Tim Howard has been a staple for Everton for much of the past decade, and will continue to be for the foreseeable future.
Everton announced Thursday that Howard has signed a contract extension with the club that will run through the end of the 2017-18 season. The standout, 35-year-old goalkeeper’s initial deal was set to expire in 2016, but the Toffees were keen on securing his services for longer due to his quality as a player and role model.
“He has been vital to our overall achievements. It’s not just about his performances,” Everton head coach Roberto Martinez told EvertonTV. “As a goalkeeper, you have a big say about what happens in your own goal and to keep the amount of clean sheets that we have this season – which is already two more than last season when we had very good numbers defensively – is impressive.
“Then you see his human values and the way he affects youngsters; he is the perfect role model for out football club. We have a good group of young goalkeepers who can follow that sort of example, and that is why it’s so significant he has agreed to stay with Everton for a long, long period.”
The two-year extension likely assures that the impressive and acrobatic Howard – who initially joined Everton on loan from Manchester United in 2006 before signing a permanent deal in 2007 – will become one of the club’s all-time leaders in appearances. The veteran is currently in 22nd in that category, but it seems probable that his new contract will see him reach the prestigious 500-appearance mark that only three players have accomplished in Everton’s history.
The U.S. Men’s National Team’s starting goalkeeper has recorded 116 cleansheets in the Premiership, giving him the 10th-highest total in the league’s history. He has posted 13 shutouts this season, and been a big part of the reason why the Toffees are currently in the hunt for a place in next season’s UEFA Champions League.
Howard is also set to be included in the U.S.’s World Cup roster for a third straight tournament. He backed up Kasey Keller in Germany in 2006, but was the starter in 2010 as the Americans reached the Round of 16 in South Africa.
Howard has 97 caps with the United States.
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What do you think of Howard signing an extension with Everton through 2018? Happy to see him make the decision to stick around with the club or would you have preferred to see him return to MLS? Think he and Everton will reach next season’s UEFA Champions League?
Share your thoughts below.
Four or five clean sheets in June – July time frame would cement his place near the top of the list.
Love to see this. Now crossing my fingers that Everton/Howard can lockup/earn their way into a top 4 CL spot.
when his career ends he will be known as 1 of the top 10 (?) goalkeepers to ever play in the PL. Maybe the best American goalkeeper to ever play in England.
or does Friedel warrant a higher thought?
How do you determine that one keeper is better than another?
When you have a list of criteria then maybe you can have serious discussion about it.
Until then the argument will be hampered by the fact that most of you never saw that much of Keller, Friedel, Meola, Mausser, etc., etc.
Keller was a better keeper than Friedel but Brad had the best World Cup ever for a US keeper. helping lead them to their best World Cup finish ever.
In contrast Keller did not do much in World Cups and neither did Howard whose 2010 World Cup was mediocre.
Howard had Man of the Match against England
Ehh a lot of people think tim could have done better on ghana’s goals
Didn’t he break his rib in that game? People forget he was playing hurt most of the tournament.
No one forgets he was hurt but if the injury hampered him against Slovenia, Algeria and Ghana then he had no business being out there.
He let in a soft goal against Slovenia, did well against Algeria and was putrid against Ghana.
So either he hid the extent of the injury or the coaching staff was afraid to go to Guzan.
So either you blame Howard for being selfish or you blame BB for not going to Guzan . Having a backup keeper that you did not trust is inexcusable and also insane since Guzan did a great job deputizing for Howard against Egypt in the 3-0 Confederations Cup win.
Great performance against England
So-so against Slovenia.
Quite good against Algeria.
So-so against Ghana. I give his World Cup a C.
Jeez you guys are being harsh on him.
If Howard does not let in that first soft goal against Ghana, and then be kind of tentative on the winner, who knows how far the USMNT could have gone?
Going into the tournament everyone was talking Timmy up as the greatest keeper ever so his C performance was a real letdown and for a team like the USMNT who are always keeper dependent, a complete disaster.
Everyone expected far better from him.
Keller was repeatedly benched at the club level. Friedel started like 10000 premier league games in a row. Friedel had better world cup performances. Friedel is superior.
Yeah, Keller was a fine keeper, but Friedel was absolutely superior.
if you ask me back in 2009. he was 1 of the top 5 goalkeepers in the world. Around Everton’s FA Cup final, Everton finishing 5th in the league, Confed Cup, Everton had 18 cleansheets due to him that season.
He’s so underrated. He could easily be playing as a GK for a CL side for any club in the world outside Barca, Madrid, Chelsea, City and Juventus.
… And galatasaray, bayern, dortmund, milan, and psg
10 world class teams. although Gala and City and Milan/PSG are debateable
Howard is really good. but underrated. All this time at Everton hasn’t helped.
He could easily be playing for City. He is definitely a better keeper than Joe Hart. Give Howard that backline and he’d clean up!
how much $$$$ is he making now>
you wonder if Hungary ever kicks themselves, he could have been their goalkeeper
The Hungarian Hammer?
So no NYC FC for him?
He got that news about Yankee Stadium!