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19. US Soccer Family News

US SOCCER FAMILY NEWS: TIM HOWARD TO SIGN CONTRACT WITH COLORADO RAPIDS.
June 24, 2016
By: Leila Morrison

The Copa America Centenario is over for the Stars and Stripes. They finished fourth after losing the third place game to Columbia. Chile and Argentina will battle it out for first and second place today.

In the mean time, our #1 is moving to Colorado with his two children, Jacob and Alivia, after 13 years in England with Everton. He will be available to play for the Rapids once the MLS Summer Transfer Window opens on July 8.

Howard's contract with Everton doesn't expire until 2018, but he was allowed to make the move to Colorado for a reported fee of $600,00.

While all the details of his contract aren't public, we do know that Howard will be staying with the Rapids until 2019 when he is 40. His average salary a year is $2.5-2.8 million.

Howard's move to Colorado brings him back to MLS where his career started back in 1998, the same year half-sister Hannah Bedal was born. His first MLS game was with MetroStars, now known as New York Red Bulls.

He last played in MLS in 2003 before he transferred to Manchester United. He was the starting goalkeeper at Old Trafford until 2005, when the club introduced Edwin van der Sar. He was then loaned to Everton the following year.

Howard completed a move with the Toffies in 2007. He remained their starter for almost a decade, until a knee injury in February allowed Joel Robbles to take his place.

Everton boss, Roberto Martinez, confirmed that Howard has lost his place in starting XI to Robbles after a few bad performances from Howard and a few great displays from the former.

Howard told ESPN he knew it was the right time to move.

"I've had a fantastic career in England, in particular at Everton Football Club," he said. "It's not done yet, but I think as football clubs move forward and players have careers to think about, you always have to make decisions.

"Sometimes those are every four years and sometimes they creep up on you, and this one crept up on me because I had two years remaining here at Everton that I planned on seeing out.

"When I spoke to my family, when I spoke to Roberto Martinez and the chairman [Bill Kenwright] as well, I thought the decision, and the timing more than anything -- because in life it's all about timing -- and obviously with my discussions with Colorado, it just seemed to be the right move. It was an instinctual gut feeling, and I'm excited about it."

Colorado Rapids fans have a lot to be excited about as well. Howard "will be the best goalkeeper in MLS" according to former US national teammate, Kasey Keller, when speaking to the Denver Post.

Howard has made 106 appearances for the U.S. since 2002 and has been named to the country's squad for the last three World Cups. He played back up to Keller in 2006 in Germany, and he started every game in 2010 in South Africa and 2014 in Brazil, where he made a historic 15 saves in the round of 16 defeat to Belgium.

Howard aims to start through the 2018 World Cup in Russia. He will be 39 by then, and he has admitted that the Colorado Rapids will be his last contract.

When asked by ESPN how long he will continue playing, Howard said, "This contract with Colorado is three and a half seasons, and that takes me just a year or so beyond the World Cup, and that seems about right to me.

"My aspirations are to play for my national team and play in the World Cup and be a part of a group that does something special in the World Cup as well. So I'm excited about Colorado and what we can achieve there, so I think that'll be a really good time to finish.

"I didn't expect to play beyond the age of 40, but it looks like that's going to happen, and you know what, my body feels great, it really does."

When asked about his family life in regards to his move to Colorado, he was in high spirits.

"I'm very excited to be returning back to the US. I will get to see my kids, Jacob and Alivia, a lot more. They will actually be living with me most of the time."

"It's also great since I will be closer to my mom. I'm a little bummed out that Hannah is moving to France around the same time I will be living in the States, but I am so proud of her for following her dreams of dancing for the Royal French Ballet Theatre. She's just amazing. The two of us are very close. I talk to her everyday. If she needs anything, she knows I will hop on the first flight to France to be there for her."

Howard will have his first press conference as a Colorado Rapids player on July 8, 2016.