After Tim Howard's injury, Brad Friedel offers to come out of retirement for U.S.

With starting goalkeeper Tim Howard likely out for two crucial World Cup qualifiers for the United States national team later this month, former U.S. goalkeeper Brad Friedel offered Saturday to come out of retirement.

Friedel, who is currently playing with Tottenham Hotspur in Europe, gave a vote of confidence on Twitter to the likely new starting goalie, Brad Guzan. But he said if something were to happen to Guzan, he would be willing to fill in.

Howard's club team, Everton, announced on Friday that he would miss "several weeks" with two broken bones in his back. That will likely put him out for a World Cup qualifying match against Costa Rica in Commerce City, Colo., on March 22. And only four days after that, the U.S. faces the daunting challenge of a match against Mexico at the Azteca.

Friedel retired from international soccer in 2005. He led the U.S. national team on a run to the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup.