D.C. United season review: Bill Hamid

As the 2015 season began, the reigning MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, Bill Hamid, was firmly set as the number one keeper for the Black & Red. Having taken an incredible leap in 2014 into the elite class of MLS goalkeepers, expectations were high in 2015 for the homegrown product from Annandale. Hamid certainly didn’t disappoint. Though his appearances were slightly down this year due to some nagging injuries that kept him out of the lineup during a couple stretches of the season, Bill appeared in 25 MLS matches as well as one match in the 2014-15 CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals.

When he was between the posts this season, Bill was consistent in keeping United in almost every single match with his play. He had 101 saves on the year in the league, with 8 shutouts and allowing only 29 goals. Even during the playoffs, Hamid made the key saves necessary to keep the team within striking distance all the way to the very end of the line in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Outside of United, Bill seems to now be firmly among the main choices for goalkeepers called into camps for the U.S. Men’s National Team. While he did not feature in a match this year for the senior side, it seems that he is leading the race to be coach Jurgen Klinsmann’s 3rd option for goalkeepers behind Brad Guzan and Tim Howard.

At 25 years and one week old, the time is fast approaching where Bill will look to make the jump overseas to play in Europe. Earlier this season, United signed Bill to a contract extension to ensure that he remains with D.C. United for the foreseeable future. But, there will eventually come a point where Hamid will want to spread his wings and fly to a team in Europe where he will still be young enough to develop into that team’s future starting keeper for another decade. Still, he remains the number one option for the Black & Red, and he is easily one of the top goalkeepers in all of MLS.

So, this should be an easy decision, and quite frankly there’s only one correct answer: