Kenny Cooper
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Scott Cooper, Jr. (born October 21, 1984 in Baltimore, Maryland) is an American
soccer player who currently plays for Portland Timbers
in Major League Soccer
.
Cooper began his football career with Manchester United
in England, but he failed to break into the first-team and was sent out on loan to Académica Coimbra and Oldham Athletic
before being sold to FC Dallas
in 2006. He joined 1860 Munich
in 2009, but joined Plymouth Argyle on loan just six months into his 1860 Munich contract. On January 17, 2011, Portland Timbers
completed a transfer for Cooper's services in the club's inaugural MLS
campaign.
, played professional soccer as a goalkeeper in England before moving to the United States to play for Dallas Tornado
of the North American Soccer League
. Cooper was born in Baltimore, Maryland
, and, under the mentorship of his father, he became an outstanding youth footballer. After retiring from coaching professional soccer, Cooper's father had settled the family in Dallas, Texas, where Cooper attended high school at Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas
. He was the Dallas area high school player of the year while playing, graduating in 2003. While playing with the Dallas Solar 85 Soccer Club in the Dallas Cup
, an international youth tournament, Cooper caught the attention of several former NASL
players who contacted Jimmy Ryan, Director of Youth Football at Manchester United
. Ryan had also once played with Cooper's father when they were both with the Tornado. Ryan contacted the Coopers and invited Kenny to England for a trial. The fact that Cooper's father was a native of England helped grease the skids for Cooper as United did not need to acquire a work permit for him. Following a successful week-long trial, United signed him on a free transfer. At the time Cooper had intended to attend Southern Methodist University
, but decided to forgo playing college soccer
in order to pursue his professional career.
at the beginning of the 2004–05 season. However, the loan was terminated after half a season due to Cooper seeing very limited playing time. After a brief return to Manchester, the team loaned him again, this time to Oldham Athletic
. When it became obvious that Cooper had little chance of becoming a starter with Manchester United, the team released him midway through the 2005–06 season to allow him to pursue other opportunities. He saw time in one game with Sunderland
before returning to the U.S.
on February 6, 2006 and made an immediate impact on the team. He made his first MLS appearance on
April 1, 2006 and scored his first MLS career goal helping FC Dallas to a 3–2 victory against the Chicago Fire
. Cooper made his first MLS start the following week against Real Salt Lake
on April 8, 2006 scoring the teams first goal in a 2–1 victory. He finished his first MLS season tied for sixth in goals scored with 11 and made 31 appearances. At the start of the 2007 MLS Season, Cooper scored four goals in the first eight games before he suffered a broken right tibia
in a 3–1 win against the Los Angeles Galaxy
by a strong tackle from Tyrone Marshall
that put him out for a majority of the season. This ended his hopes of playing in the 2007 Copa América and for the national team
. Cooper ended the 2007 season with a total of 12 starts out of 14 appearances, four goals, and 2 assists.
Cooper was linked with a possible move to Cardiff City
on July 27, 2008, after the club made a £
2,000,000 bid. Norway's Rosenborg bid more than that and also offered a salary of $1.2 million. MLS ultimately rejected both bids and decided to keep him.
In the 2008 MLS season, Cooper led FC Dallas
with 18 goals and started all 30 games. He was the only FC Dallas
player to appear in all regular season games that year. Cooper finished the season tied for the league lead with four game-winning goals. 14 of Coopers 18 goals either tied or gave FC Dallas
the lead, while the other four goals helped increase the team's lead. He was named to his first MLS All-Star First XI selection and MLS Best XI team. He earned back-to-back MLS Player of the Week honors for his two goal performances against the Los Angeles Galaxy
(4–0 win) on July 27, 2008 and Toronto FC
(2–0 win) on August 8, 2008. Cooper was also named the MLS Comeback Player of the Year for 2008.
announced that Cooper had been sold to German Second Division
club 1860 Munich
. As per league policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. However, German teams do disclose the amounts of transfers, Cooper was sold for 440,000 British pounds in 2009 it is known that the contract ran for three years. He scored his first goal for 1860 Munich in his debut on August 9, 2009.
on loan until the end of the 2009–10 season with a view to a permanent move at the end of the season. However this option was not taken up by the club.
as a free transfer. While Timbers technical director Gavin Wilkinson
initially cautioned that a deal had yet to be struck, on January 17, 2011 he announced Portland had finally completed Cooper's transfer and that he would be joining the team pending the receipt of his International Transfer Certificate. He scored the first MLS goal for the Portland Timbers in a 3-1 loss on their MLS debut, against Colorado Rapids
on March 19, 2011. He scored his 3rd goal of the season in a 1-0 win over Real Salt Lake
. This marked the Timbers first shutout win and snapped Salt Lake's 18-game winning streak.
, Cooper was considered to be a potential long-term solution at striker for the national team. Cooper got his first cap and first goal for the national team on January 20, 2007, against Denmark
where he scored a goal after coming on near the end of the game. He then appeared in a game against Guatemala
, which was played in his MLS club's home stadium, Pizza Hut Park
, as a second half sub. He was unable to take part in the 2007 Copa América
after he was sidelined with a broken right tibia
. On November 20, 2008, Cooper got his first World Cup Qualifying start and his first World Cup qualifying-round goal against Guatemala in the final game of the semifinal group stage. On July 18, 2009, Cooper took a boot to the chest from Roman Torres of Panama, resulting in a penalty kick which he took to put the USA through to the semifinal round of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Five days later, Cooper scored near the end of the match against Honduras to give the USA a 2–0 lead and to put them safely into the final of the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup. He has a total of 10 international appearances (caps) with 4 goals.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soccer player who currently plays for Portland Timbers
Portland Timbers
Portland Timbers may refer to any of four distinct professional soccer teams:*Portland Timbers, a Major League Soccer expansion team that began playing in 2011....
in Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
.
Cooper began his football career with Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
in England, but he failed to break into the first-team and was sent out on loan to Académica Coimbra and Oldham Athletic
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
before being sold to FC Dallas
FC Dallas
FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
in 2006. He joined 1860 Munich
TSV 1860 München
Turn- und Sportverein München von 1860, commonly known as TSV 1860 München or 1860 Munich, is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. The club's football team plays in the Second Bundesliga, after relegation from the Bundesliga following the 2003–04 season...
in 2009, but joined Plymouth Argyle on loan just six months into his 1860 Munich contract. On January 17, 2011, Portland Timbers
Portland Timbers
Portland Timbers may refer to any of four distinct professional soccer teams:*Portland Timbers, a Major League Soccer expansion team that began playing in 2011....
completed a transfer for Cooper's services in the club's inaugural MLS
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
campaign.
Youth
Cooper's father, Kenny Cooper Sr.Kenny Cooper Sr.
Kenny Cooper Sr. is a former English soccer goalkeeper and coach. He spent ten seasons playing for the Dallas Tornado of the North American Soccer League and eighteen seasons coaching indoor soccer...
, played professional soccer as a goalkeeper in England before moving to the United States to play for Dallas Tornado
Dallas Tornado
Dallas Tornado were a soccer team based in Dallas that played in the NASL. They played from 1967 to 1981. Their home fields were Cotton Bowl , P.C. Cobb Stadium , Franklin Field , Texas Stadium and Ownby Stadium on the SMU campus...
of the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
. Cooper was born in Baltimore, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, and, under the mentorship of his father, he became an outstanding youth footballer. After retiring from coaching professional soccer, Cooper's father had settled the family in Dallas, Texas, where Cooper attended high school at Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas
Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas
Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas is a private, college-preparatory school for young men under the direction of the Society of Jesus and home to the Jesuit Dallas Museum in Dallas, Texas...
. He was the Dallas area high school player of the year while playing, graduating in 2003. While playing with the Dallas Solar 85 Soccer Club in the Dallas Cup
Dallas Cup
The Dallas Cup is an international football tournament for invited youth teams, held annually in Dallas, Texas. It was first held in 1980. The current champion is Cruzeiro...
, an international youth tournament, Cooper caught the attention of several former NASL
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
players who contacted Jimmy Ryan, Director of Youth Football at Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
. Ryan had also once played with Cooper's father when they were both with the Tornado. Ryan contacted the Coopers and invited Kenny to England for a trial. The fact that Cooper's father was a native of England helped grease the skids for Cooper as United did not need to acquire a work permit for him. Following a successful week-long trial, United signed him on a free transfer. At the time Cooper had intended to attend Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
, but decided to forgo playing college soccer
College soccer
College soccer is a term used to describe association football played by teams who are operated by colleges and universities as opposed to a professional league operated for exclusively financial purposes...
in order to pursue his professional career.
Manchester United
During his time with Manchester United, Cooper was unable to break into the first team, spending his time with the reserve squad. As a result, the team loaned him to Académica de Coimbra of PortugalPortugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
at the beginning of the 2004–05 season. However, the loan was terminated after half a season due to Cooper seeing very limited playing time. After a brief return to Manchester, the team loaned him again, this time to Oldham Athletic
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
. When it became obvious that Cooper had little chance of becoming a starter with Manchester United, the team released him midway through the 2005–06 season to allow him to pursue other opportunities. He saw time in one game with Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
before returning to the U.S.
FC Dallas
Cooper signed with FC DallasFC Dallas
FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
on February 6, 2006 and made an immediate impact on the team. He made his first MLS appearance on
April 1, 2006 and scored his first MLS career goal helping FC Dallas to a 3–2 victory against the Chicago Fire
Chicago Fire (soccer)
Chicago Fire Soccer Club is an American professional soccer club based in the Chicago suburb of Bridgeview, Illinois. The team competes in Major League Soccer , the top soccer league in the United States and Canada...
. Cooper made his first MLS start the following week against Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake is an American professional soccer club based in Sandy, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. The team competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. They currently play their home games at Rio Tinto Stadium. Real Salt Lake won...
on April 8, 2006 scoring the teams first goal in a 2–1 victory. He finished his first MLS season tied for sixth in goals scored with 11 and made 31 appearances. At the start of the 2007 MLS Season, Cooper scored four goals in the first eight games before he suffered a broken right tibia
Tibia
The tibia , shinbone, or shankbone is the larger and stronger of the two bones in the leg below the knee in vertebrates , and connects the knee with the ankle bones....
in a 3–1 win against the Los Angeles Galaxy
Los Angeles Galaxy
The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second...
by a strong tackle from Tyrone Marshall
Tyrone Marshall
Tyrone Marshall is a Jamaican footballer who currently plays for Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:Marshall moved to the Fort Lauderdale, Florida area when he was twelve years old...
that put him out for a majority of the season. This ended his hopes of playing in the 2007 Copa América and for the national team
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
. Cooper ended the 2007 season with a total of 12 starts out of 14 appearances, four goals, and 2 assists.
Cooper was linked with a possible move to Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
on July 27, 2008, after the club made a £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
2,000,000 bid. Norway's Rosenborg bid more than that and also offered a salary of $1.2 million. MLS ultimately rejected both bids and decided to keep him.
In the 2008 MLS season, Cooper led FC Dallas
FC Dallas
FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
with 18 goals and started all 30 games. He was the only FC Dallas
FC Dallas
FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
player to appear in all regular season games that year. Cooper finished the season tied for the league lead with four game-winning goals. 14 of Coopers 18 goals either tied or gave FC Dallas
FC Dallas
FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
the lead, while the other four goals helped increase the team's lead. He was named to his first MLS All-Star First XI selection and MLS Best XI team. He earned back-to-back MLS Player of the Week honors for his two goal performances against the Los Angeles Galaxy
Los Angeles Galaxy
The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second...
(4–0 win) on July 27, 2008 and Toronto FC
Toronto FC
Toronto FC is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada....
(2–0 win) on August 8, 2008. Cooper was also named the MLS Comeback Player of the Year for 2008.
1860 Munich
On July 31, 2009, FC DallasFC Dallas
FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
announced that Cooper had been sold to German Second Division
2. Fußball-Bundesliga
- Changes in division set-up :* Number of clubs: currently 18. From 1974 to 1981 there were two conferences, each of 20 teams. In 1981–91 it had 20...
club 1860 Munich
TSV 1860 München
Turn- und Sportverein München von 1860, commonly known as TSV 1860 München or 1860 Munich, is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. The club's football team plays in the Second Bundesliga, after relegation from the Bundesliga following the 2003–04 season...
. As per league policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. However, German teams do disclose the amounts of transfers, Cooper was sold for 440,000 British pounds in 2009 it is known that the contract ran for three years. He scored his first goal for 1860 Munich in his debut on August 9, 2009.
Plymouth Argyle
On January 28, 2010, Cooper left Munich to return to England, signing for Plymouth ArgylePlymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
on loan until the end of the 2009–10 season with a view to a permanent move at the end of the season. However this option was not taken up by the club.
Portland Timbers
On January 13, 2011, TSV 1860 Munich announced that Cooper would not fulfill his contract which would run until June 2012 and would be joining Portland TimbersPortland Timbers
Portland Timbers may refer to any of four distinct professional soccer teams:*Portland Timbers, a Major League Soccer expansion team that began playing in 2011....
as a free transfer. While Timbers technical director Gavin Wilkinson
Gavin Wilkinson
Gavin Wilkinson is a former New Zealand footballer and current technical director of Portland Timbers. Prior to this position, Wilkinson was manager of Portland Timbers in the United Soccer Leagues before their promotion to Major League Soccer beginning with the 2011 season...
initially cautioned that a deal had yet to be struck, on January 17, 2011 he announced Portland had finally completed Cooper's transfer and that he would be joining the team pending the receipt of his International Transfer Certificate. He scored the first MLS goal for the Portland Timbers in a 3-1 loss on their MLS debut, against Colorado Rapids
Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league...
on March 19, 2011. He scored his 3rd goal of the season in a 1-0 win over Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake is an American professional soccer club based in Sandy, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. The team competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. They currently play their home games at Rio Tinto Stadium. Real Salt Lake won...
. This marked the Timbers first shutout win and snapped Salt Lake's 18-game winning streak.
International
After the retirement of Brian McBrideBrian McBride
Brian Robert McBride is a retired American soccer player who finished his career for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer , but spent the majority of his time in MLS playing for the Columbus Crew. For much of his career he played in Europe, notably for Fulham in the English Premier League...
, Cooper was considered to be a potential long-term solution at striker for the national team. Cooper got his first cap and first goal for the national team on January 20, 2007, against Denmark
Denmark national football team
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...
where he scored a goal after coming on near the end of the game. He then appeared in a game against Guatemala
Guatemala national football team
The Guatemala national football team is the association football team representing the country of Guatemala and is controlled by the Federación Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala. Founded in 1919, it affiliated to FIFA in 1946, and it is a member of CONCACAF....
, which was played in his MLS club's home stadium, Pizza Hut Park
Pizza Hut Park
Pizza Hut Park is a soccer-specific stadium with a 21,193-seat capacity, built and owned by the city of Frisco, Texas. Its primary tenant is Major League Soccer team FC Dallas, which relocated from the Cotton Bowl in central Dallas to the fast-growing suburb...
, as a second half sub. He was unable to take part in the 2007 Copa América
Copa América
The Copa América —previously known as South American Championship—is an international football competition contested between the men's national teams of CONMEBOL, the sport's continental governing body...
after he was sidelined with a broken right tibia
Tibia
The tibia , shinbone, or shankbone is the larger and stronger of the two bones in the leg below the knee in vertebrates , and connects the knee with the ankle bones....
. On November 20, 2008, Cooper got his first World Cup Qualifying start and his first World Cup qualifying-round goal against Guatemala in the final game of the semifinal group stage. On July 18, 2009, Cooper took a boot to the chest from Roman Torres of Panama, resulting in a penalty kick which he took to put the USA through to the semifinal round of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Five days later, Cooper scored near the end of the match against Honduras to give the USA a 2–0 lead and to put them safely into the final of the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup. He has a total of 10 international appearances (caps) with 4 goals.
International goals
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01. | January 20, 2007 | Home Depot Center The Home Depot Center The Home Depot Center is a multiple-use sports complex located on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills in Carson, California. It is located approximately 10 miles south of Downtown Los Angeles. Its title sponsor is hardware retailer The Home Depot. The $150 million complex was... , Carson Carson, California Carson is a city in Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, Carson had a total population of 91,714. Located south of downtown Los Angeles and approximately 14 miles away from the Los Angeles International Airport, it is known as a suburb of the city.... , USA United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
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| 02. | November 19, 2008 | Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City Commerce City, Colorado The city of Commerce City is a Home Rule Municipality located in Adams County, Colorado, United States. Commerce City is a northern suburb of Denver and now the 18th most populous municipality in the state of Colorado... , USA United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification - CONCACAF Third Round This page provides the summaries of the CONCACAF Third Round matches for the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification. The 12 winners from the Second Round contested this round. The draw took place on 25 November 2007 in Durban, South Africa.- Format :... |
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| 03. | July 18, 2009 | Lincoln Financial Field Lincoln Financial Field Lincoln Financial Field is the home stadium of the National Football League's Philadelphia Eagles. It has a seating capacity of 68,532 . It is located in South Philadelphia on Pattison Avenue between 11th and 10th streets, also aside I-95 as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex... , Philadelphia, USA United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
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| 04. | July 23, 2009 | Soldier Field Soldier Field Soldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears... , Chicago Chicago Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles... , USA United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
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