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FC Dallas general manager Michael Hitchcock has confirmed SBI’s report from earlier today that the club has decided to turn down all offers for all-star forward Kenny Cooper.
"We received offers from multiple international clubs for Kenny Cooper during this transfer window, but we elected to decline them all," Hitchcock said in a written statement released by FC Dallas. "The international interest is a credit to Kenny, FC Dallas and the ever increasing talent level in Major League Soccer.
"Winning championships is our priority, and we feel strongly that Kenny will continue to be an important part of our success as we compete for the MLS Cup this year and in the future."
Now that it is official, what do you think? Share your thoughts below.
It sucks for Kenny Cooper-that’s for sure.
I think if a player has his mind set to go you should let him especially when he is going to triple his pay.
Also- not good for the U.S. national team as a player with potential should be pushed by the best in order to achieve his best.
Maybe there is more behind this story Ives?
I’m glad they are holding on to him. This is good for the league. Now, just pay him more!
This was a necessary move for MLS that nevertheless highlights why MLS has to take the financial limits of its teams right now. A league where all of the top players leave (worse, because they want to) and no one can be signed of equal or better worth to replace them immediately is a league headed for the dumpster fast. Clubs have to be able to have the financial ability (forget even the will) to immediately replace a Cooper or Toja or Altidore with someone better. Otherwise, you will have a hollow league that never achieves even one real quality side. the Galaxy are proof that two truly solid internationals aren’t enough to make a good side in MLS. Take out the tier or two below that across the board and there is little reason to watch.
I doubt Dallas rejected both bids without talking to KC. And I bet he got a raise for staying. They are probably hope he keeps his scoring touch the rest of the season and waiting for a bigger offer from a bigger club in the next transfer window.
“we feel strongly that Kenny will continue to be an important part of our success as we compete for the MLS Cup this year and in the future.”
In the future? His future is in Europe banging heads with the best in the world in the Prem or another world class league. I Love MLS and the league is progressing, just not progressing fast enough for KC to have a future here, much less in suburban Frisco.
If Fulham puts Eddie and Andy up front together that could pave the way for a new lucrative sponsorship deal.
“Yank abroad Eddie Johnson played the full 90 minutes today against Crystal Palace. He had 2 shots on goal and one off the post. Clint started and went 45 minutes. Game finished tied at 0-0.
Posted by:Erik Abarca | July 29, 2008 at 06:46 PM”
Any word on how many back passes Eddie Johnson made.
I thought 4 million was a very good offer. I am surprised they turned it down. Cardiff was looking to bring him in to be a big piece of their squad.
MLS I have an idea why don’t you put a sell on option in the transfer. If he does great in Europe and gets transferred to a bigger club for something like 20 million in 2 years get %20 of it.
A couple of things:
Yes, Cooper’s father is British, so he doesn’t need a work permit. As far as how the transfer works in MLS, the player, the team, AND the league have to all agree. Okay?
MLS will pay for that in the long run. Young foreign and US players will hesitate to sign up for a league that turns down offers for its players. I hope that Cooper copies Dempsey’s actions when the league was against his move.
Rant *Mickey Mouse League*Bush League* Pub League*
Yank abroad Eddie Johnson played the full 90 minutes today against Crystal Palace. He had 2 shots on goal and one off the post. Clint started and went 45 minutes. Game finished tied at 0-0.
What I hope to hear soon is an announcement that FCD sign Frankencooper to a new contract extension at a significantly raised salary. The guy is making $83K base and approx $100K overall.
I think that would set up a win-win for club, player and the league with the following scenario:
1. Cooper finishes out this season, continues to play out of his mind, and the Schellas Hyndman Youth Movement Experience actually goes somewhere (not a requirement).
2. European clubs needing a scorer are even more hot for Cooper during the winter transfer period.
3. Copper gets sold for even more cash.
4. FCD, Cooper and MLS all smell like roses and generate more fan pride, more league respect, and more money for all considered.
It’s not like a regular position. Your body depreciates as an athlete and you need to take as much money as quickly as possible. Playing time and titles are great but should be a secondary consideration for every professional soccer player.
Personally, I wouldn’t be unhappy for Coop to be our DP. He certainly couldn’t do worse than Denilson. I’m thrilled that he is staying, I just hope that HE is happy with it and I REALLY hope that he gets paid what he deserves.
One other thought…who would not want to go play in front of big crowds week in and week out.
On TV, Frisco always seems to be empty if you ask me.
I read that the players in the Championship get paid pretty well compared to MLS wages.
You only have so much time as a Footballer, so you have to go where the money is. Until MLS raises its salary cap and starts paying its players, there will always be a desire to get paid more in Europe.
Especially now, with the $ so craptastic. I would get paid in English Pounds any day.
FC Dallas offered a higher salary package to KC and he and his advisors rejected it. And KC had also agreed to terms with Rosenborg so this deal not going through is all due to the idiots in the Dallas FO. If the kid wanted to leave then you let him go. It’s not like we will be raising any cups this season anyway!
I think Dallas maybe getting a little ahead of itself talking championship. I mean it was 1 4-0 win.
This also backfire on MLS big time in respects on attracking young talented Americans to play here over playing in Europe. Cooper came into the league making $80K(I could be wrong on that#). Even if he re-signs I he better have in his contract that he would go if a certain transfer # is reach. I also don’t know what Dallas thinks its can offer besides playing time (professionally speaking). But one should consider that Kenny Cooper’s little brother is at SMU, the school the Dallas head coach just left for this job. It may be that Cooper is very happy playing for Hydman and is willing to stay a little longer. But I really hope they are not drunk off of 1 win. If Cooper wants to go he should really go in the summer so as to come in at the beginning of the season and for more $.
Also what does this do to his National Team aspirations? If the US is preferring Euro based players over MLS based. Will Cooper be the next player rewarded for staying home by getting consant National Team callups?
This is tough for fans and cooper alike, because one side of the fan wants to have him stay and have FC Dallas do well but the other wants to see him make a name for himself on the big stage, and hopefully make the US National team. I still think that it is good that MLS is trying to keep the best players here, but hopefully this wont turn into an eddie johnson thing right after they rejected benfica, and he played like crap for the next couple years.
So did the league bump up his salary? I sure hope that is the case, so I can enjoy watching Cooper the rest of the year without feeling bad he missed out on his payday.
PAY HIM MORE
I’m shocked how many people are ripping the Alvarez trade.
He’s been unmotivated, unproductive, and plain bad this year.
🙂
nice Reid.
Pay up MLS. I have watched Cooperboy and he needs to be paid for his services. I agree with most, MLS maybe close to being as good as a second teir league in performance, but not in pay. How can Joey Worthen of RSL last year quadruple his salary in the USL. The MLS may have a number of fronts to fight; fending off Europe and the USL. Is MLS really better than the USL? MLS looks better on the field, but is it really? Is the Open Cup a show about David and Goliath, or is it about almost equal leagues in terms of quality, but one has more show? Does anyone know that cares to share?
It is a smart move for Dallas (although I don’t like it as an RSL fan). Dallas keeps him through the end of this season, which will greatly increase their chances of making the playoffs. He will no doubt continue his good form, which will maintain of increase his transfer fee, at which time Dallas will sell.
At the end of the day they will get at least as much or more money while having the use of his services for the rest of the season. Smart move.
Jeffe,
For the upteenth time as posted on this blog, Cooper’s father is British, so he is not considered a foreigner.
Jeffe, his dad’s British so he doesn’t need a work permit…
STUPID STUPID STUPID!
Maybe Kenny declined the offers. Maybe he’s waiting for something better. Maybe he’s committed to his team for the season and won’t consider leaving until the job is done.
Another MLS player takes it in the shorts …
This is total BS… if league waits til he’s out of contract- they get nothing for him. UNREAL this MLS
He doesn’t really have enough caps to play in england does he?
I really hate how the MLS works. August 16th can’t come soon enough!
Good for the league and good for Kenny for not jumping at the first team to throw some Euros at him. More players should be discriminating about what ‘opportunity’ they jump at. Any comment on that Mr. Noonan?
And cut the FA Cup Final argument. Unless you’re the Big 4, who actually don’t care about the competion that much, there isn’t another team in England that can count on making FA Cup Fianls in consecutive years.
Kenny will get his pay increase regardless of this. He’s a professional, he understands the situation.
I can understand the move by Dallas…who wants to lose your top goal producer in the middle of the season?…but this sucks for Cooper! He deserves more pay and the opportunity to play in Europe. Hope he makes the move this winter.
I wonder if MLS rejected the offers because they want to increase the value of the league by trying to entertain offers from bigger clubs?
Yep, it’s about money, not just quality of play. Noonan probably made DP-level salary, and that was just an average paycheck there. We need fans supporting teams here so that there is money to pay good players to stay.
Put yourself in KC’s shoes for a moment. His salary was about to increase 10X, now its not, how would you feel. I dont think cardiff city was a step down, it’s not villareal but so what. If i’m him im not a happy frankencooper right now.
so they want a title but trade alvarez for a draft pick, Hitchcock your a d-bag. I hope KC is gone in the offseason and then he changes his last name to bornstein, cause thats the only way bob is gonna get him into camp
lesser leagues but bigger pay….
Scott47a said: “I look forward to the day when it isn’t seen as a step up for U.S. players to leave MLS to play in the Coca Cola Championship or in Norway or Denmark or Austria or Belgium or Portugal or any other country or league that isn’t the highest flight.”
It’s debatable whether some of these leagues are really a step up, esp when players are on relegation-threatened sides (Cletus, Jacqua). But Noonan made $400,000 last year. It IS a step up in pay and I bet Pat’s laughing his way to the bank, no matter what anyone says about quality of play.
Perhaps MLS cleared the move, but it was ultimately up to FC Dallas. Either way, this league control of players thing has worn itself out.
It’s time to release control to owners and do away with the salary cap, or at least significantly increase it!
MLS must do so in order to become more competitive with the European first leagues…
Well, it answers the questions from earlier in the day. If Dallas automatically eliminates choice A and B, then I guess the decisionmaking is a lot easier for Kenny. Maybe he will get bigger offers in the winter when clubs realize which of their offseason signings aren’t panning out, or think they’re not where they should be in the table.
Option 3? Surprise, I suppose.
The red bull could have rejected the bid, but it wouldn’t have been of much use. He wanted Villareal, they wanted him, they certainly paid us enough, so…
I suppose this means Cooper wasn’t too keen on Roseborg or Coventry, eh?
Repeat of my (very) recent post in the other thread:
Count me among the silent majority of fans who just want to see some good players playing in MLS games. If that means keeping Cooper and Twellman against their wishes until their contracts run out, so be it.
I look forward to the day when it isn’t seen as a step up for U.S. players to leave MLS to play in the Coca Cola Championship or in Norway or Denmark or Austria or Belgium or Portugal or any other country or league that isn’t the highest flight.
If MLS ever has aspirations of winning over fans and growing to be in the top 10 leagues in the world, it can’t just keep selling every time it gets a good player.
Danny,
Cardiff went to the FA Cup finals and would win MLS or at least be a top flight team. I think calling them 2nd rate is a bit unfair.
Rather “Shouldn’t” in the last post. Oops!
Our All-Stars should have to go over to 2nd rate leagues simply because it’s Europe. Good move MLS. Sucks for Cooper in many ways, but he’ll get his. It’s time good players quit settling for playing in a lesser European league just because it’s Europe.
I think I’m confused. Could the Red Bulls have rejected Jozy’s bid (not that they would at that price). I thought this was up to MLS, not the teams?
(Honest question, not being bitter)