Not retiring! Tim Howard targets another World Cup

Howard, 36 in March, recently released a book 'The Keeper', an indication he could be nearing the end of his professional career.

But the United States international, with 104 international caps, said he is not only looking forward to the next major international tournament, but also to bringing silverware to Goodison Park.

Howard has played 11 times at a World Cup, representing the US at each of the 2006, 2010 and 2014 tournaments.

"I want to finish my contract before I'm finished with football - I'm 39 in 2018 - which is May [that year], and then the World Cup," Howard said.

"And so I want to be done playing football and move on to other things and I don't know what I can accomplish but I'm hoping the sky's the limit and I'd like to win something here.

"I think all the current crop of players here, that's our aim so we'll see."

Howard said his book addresses his Tourette syndrome and also his divorce, while his spat with Brad Friedel has led to an amendment to be made for future additions.

And he said he could not split the managers who have deployed him since Alex Ferguson brought him across the Atlantic Ocean to Manchester United.

"The one thing is I've had the good fortune of playing for great managers who've had longevity and I look around at the league and I'm thankful for that because some managers are just disastrous unfortunately, so they all gave me something that I took with me so it's hard to say," Howard said.

"I'm certainly enjoying Roberto [Martinez] though, that's for sure.

"You know, he [Martinez] has a different style about him, you know we talk about different styles and we were successful under David Moyes and Ferguson clearly was one of the most successful managers ever, but Roberto has a vision and his personality is just, very positive.

"[He's] always looking forward and I've said that I met Roberto when I was 34 and I think sometimes here he comes and he's got a bunch of different ideas and it's refreshing."