Part-owner. Sporting director. And now Tim Howard can add a new role in his relationship with Memphis 901 FC.

Possible starting goalkeeper.

On Wednesday, the city’s second-year United Soccer League club announced that Howard will end his brief retirement and play for the team in 2020. His last game came at the conclusion of the 2019 Major League Soccer season with Colorado and he was subsequently named Memphis’ sporting director in early January.

901 FC’s Tim Howard: ‘I want to be an executive and I want to be a great one’

It’s not clear if Howard will be in the starting line-up Saturday at 6 p.m. when Memphis opens the season at AutoZone Park against Indy Eleven. The other goalkeepers on Memphis’ roster are Jimmy Hague, a 23-year-old who is coming off a fine career at Michigan State and 24-year-old Jim Barkei, who was on the roster in 2019 but didn’t see any game action as the third-choice behind Jeff Caldwell and Scott Levene.

But despite turning 41 on Friday, Howard should have more than enough quality left to make an impact with Memphis this year. The desire certainly seems to be there.

“Since my retirement in October, my obsession with football has grown,” he said in a statement released by the club with Wednesday afternoon’s announcement. “The desire to win continues to drive me. I love to play and I love to compete.”

Peter Freund, the club’s principal owner, said Howard would continue to wear multiple hats in Memphis.

“As both an owner and our sporting director, Tim’s deep desire to win – driven by outworking the competition – is what has come to define 901 FC’s culture,” he said. “(Wednesday’s announcement) shouldn’t come as any surprise to anyone that understands the fire that still burns inside of him.”

Howard began his playing career at New York-New Jersey MetroStars in MLS before moving to Manchester United ahead of the 2003. He then transferred within the English Premiership to Everton, where he played in 329 games between 2007 and 2016 before moving to Colorado to wind down his career.

While with the Rapids, Howard was the featured player in the first soccer game played at AutoZone Park as they took on Tulsa on Sept. 1, 2018 in advance of 901 FC’s debut last spring.

On the international stage, Howard made 121 appearances for U.S. National team and was the starting ‘keeper in both the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and the 2014 tournament in Brazil. He ranks eighth on the all-time list for most international appearances by an American.

Memphis coach Tim Mulqueen said he didn’t expect Howard to have any trouble maintaining his focus on more than one task as the club looks to improve on last year’s 9-7-18 finish that landed it in 15th place in the 18-team Eastern Conference.

“When he’s in the locker room as a player, he will act as a player,” Mulqueen said. “His only focus will be on winning. There will be very clear lines that the players will recognize.”