Don't think this has been started: Cooper enter as sub in 72nd. The matchtracker doesn't mention him but it does say that they had only 6,000 fans attend the 1-0 Academica win.
BTW, why is it that we didn't have a thread started for Cooper until after his match was over? My excuse is that I just woke up but there have been a ton of people posting to YA today...w/o so much as mentioning that he was playing. Did Cooper piss in somebody's cereal or somthing?
More like the new Jovan Kirovski. I hope he can get out of this funk and start scoring goals. Stupid ass Quiroz had to reccomend him to a Portuguese team. Kenny Cooper should have went to a Coca Cola League team in England.
IMO, going to Portugal will prove to be a good experience for Kenny. From what I saw in limited ManU highlights, he's an around-the-box forward whereas the Portuguese in general play their forwards much higher, requiring them to create as well as score. The other parts of their game are also different from the English/EPL style. With that in mind, some initial struggle in getting used to it should be expected but I believe that after all is said and done, he'll become a much improved player in the long run precisely because of this test. Going to a Championship team for him would have been a rehash of the same, if presumably on a marginally higher level but Portugal is a departure and is a bit of a sink-or-swim situation. And, as old philosopher said, that which doesn't kill us only makes us stronger. That I hope will be the case with Cooper as well.
I have seen Kenny Cooper not play as much as ANYONE on these boards. As far as I can tell he played at least some role in a victory by a weaker team over a stronger team that helped the weaker team climb out of the relegation zone. That's OK. He's a young player that probably wasn't quite ready to force Ruud van Nistelrooy's into retirement. He's in a new environment and adapting to a new system of play. I'd give him at least a few more years to develop before making any sort of final judgment on his career. And my raisin bran tasted fine this morning.
I am also in a "new environment, and am adjusting to it which may take some time". Love, Frankie hey-dude.
I however have seen Cooper play a lot more than anyone on these boards....and to a degree agree with your thoughts...the time in Portugal, in a tough situation, with a lower level first division team, playing a different style will stand him in good stead as his career develops....as I have stated many times in other forums, this kid is a goalscorer, a finisher of chances....unfortunately Academica de Coimbra may not be able to provide enough chances for Cooper to do what he does best...score goals...
U.S. Soccer has come an awfully long way in an awfully short time, but I think it was too far too fast for some folks, who apparently think we're now obligated to write off 20-year-olds whose main failure is that they aren't tearing up college competition. No wonder Jordan Stone retired.
Some reviews from the Portuguese press: Mais Futebol Before the break, American forward Kenny Cooper almost scored from a header on a corner kick, but the ball exited, almost grazing Marcos's post. http://www.maisfutebol.iol.pt/noticia.php?id=459880&div_id=1469 Record gave him a 1 (out of 5) and stated that "he could have exited sooner." http://www.record.pt/noticia.asp?id=600477&idCanal=7 O Jogo gave him a 5 (out of 10) and stated: He is not a well of talent, but the American, given his physique, was a migraine for the Madeiren central defenders. He had two noteworthy moments: the first one (10') was deflected; in the second (35') he headed just slightly wide. http://www.ojogo.pt/20-247/artigo417489.htm
Good catch Scotty. The initial posts here were based on a misunderstanding of the Portuguese websites. Cooper started and was subbed at the 72' mark (he didn't sub into the game at that point). The matchtracker mentions his name twice (in addition to the starting lineup and when he was subbed out). 10’ Tixier cruza tenso para a área, Cooper salta mas não chega de cabeça para o desvio. Looks to my non-Portuguese comprehensions like Cooper just missed a headflick towards goal. 36’ Cooper cabeceia no centro da área na sequência de mais um pontapé de canto marcado na direita. A bola quase rossa a trave da baliza do Marítimo. Looks like Cooper's header, off a freekick, almost grazed Maritimo's crossbar. 72’ Substituição na Académica: sai Kenny Cooper, entra Dário muito aplaudido. Cooper was brought off for Dario, a popular Mozambican forward who is coming back from surgery to his injured meniscus. It was a good win for Academica. Before the game Academica was in 17th place (2nd to last) with only 4 pts from 5 games, Maritimo was in 2nd place tied with Benfica. Academica was mourning the death of Joao Moreno, the club president, and the game was dedicated to him. Academica moved up to 13th place in the 18-team Super Liga. Academica has a cup game tomorrow (I believe) away to lower division Almancil. According to O Jogo they are in Serie F of the 3rd Division - whatever that means! Please remember that everything in this post is based upon someone who doesn't understand Portuguese trying to read Portuguese. I understand 75% and misunderstand the other 25%.
Is there any chance we'll see Cooper switch to defense if things don't work out as a forward? It seems as though every decent soccer kid in America plays forward for his high school or youth team but many of them convert to defense as they get older. He definitely has the size to play the position. Does he have the ability and/or desire to play there if it were to become an option/necessity? I'm just asking out of curiosity...in no way am I predicting that he will or won't make it as a forward. Like most everyone, I've never seen him play.
Cooper has started three games and Academica has won two of the three ( their only wins) in the game they didn't win Cooper assisted on the goal and had the highest rating on the team and in some reports was the MOM ( man of the match)...seems to me he is doing something right. I do know he has shaken things up a bit in practice...and brought a "Man U " type intensity to training that did not previously exist....I think a "losers mentality" was more in evidence at Academica and Cooper has ruffled a few feathers to change that. It seems to be helping...
I don't think this is on the cards at all. I do think he is in a tough spot but better off than had he stayed and played in a lower division in England...Apparently the coach's head has been on the block twice with Academica in must -win -or- your -fired mode...on both occasions Cooper started and the team won....My feeling is that Academica will ( should ?) play Cooper up top with Dario as the off-striker...whether that happens or not remains to be seen
This is a great opportunity for Cooper to learn. The Portuguese league is a step up from England Div 2 for Cooper, but obviously not at the level of the EPL. Having said that, it is a more technical league than the EPL, but certainly not as physical or played at the same pace. Technical skills executed at great pace with physical pressure....that is the the ultimate test. It is the combination of his Portuguese and English training that will make him a special player. I hope he makes the best of it.
Mike- I agree this is a good experience for young Cooper, if he scores a lot or not. All the crap/stuff he is having to deal with (language, teammates, team, upped level of competition, totally different style) will all be good for him. The boy surely knows how to score goals- he will not forget during this time. I think he'll get more time, more starts, and a better formation to show what he can do still. Even if it is a trying year, he'll bounce back. If he doesn't (which I don't think will happen) he would not have made it anyway. The good ones fight thru the diversity and make it happen. I doubt seriously real teams with judge him by (if) he scores 4 or 6 or 8 goals this year (sure, if he scored 20, everyone would take notice). But at the end of the day, its the professionalism, stick-to-it-ness, and good habits/methods he brings from this experience which will make or break him going forward... Can you believe the talent we got now around the world? Beats the hell out of Kyle Rote and a bunch of Nationalized guys (no offense to the 'old guard') cheers...
Of course you are right on the money...the players and the game have come on leaps and bounds since the early seventies....I think sometimes we all expect too much...I remember flying down to San Antonio, renting a motel room and watching Univision telecasts of the 1978 World Cup...as no Dallas stations carried the games...now I can watch three EPL games back to back on a saturday morning, get all of England's games on pay per view and watch soccer 24-7 almost... Cooper is better off in Coimbra, he is growing up, he is mentally VERY strong and will come out of this experience much the better..