Kenny Cooper is headed back to England, well, sort of.
Cooper is on the verge of making a transfer move to Welsh club Cardiff City, which plays in England’s Coca-Cola Championship First Division, sources with knowledge of the transfer told SBI on Monday. The transfer fee is between $3 and $4 million. (Update-Cooper is not in Europe today. He is in Frisco, Texas.)
Cooper’s representatives traveled to Wales on Monday to finalize contract negotiations with Cardiff City (Cooper is still in Texas), which finished 12th in the English First Division last season, and sources tell SBI that the sides are finalizing the contract, which would clear the way for the transfer to be completed.
The deal would end a tug-of-war between Cardiff City and Norwegian power Rosenborg, which had been the favorites to land Cooper initially.
Cooper returns to English soccer some three years after leaving Manchester United and signing with FC Dallas. He has notched 11 goals and three assists for the Hoops this season and has recorded 26 goals and nine assists in 63 matches for FC Dallas.
Cardiff City, which reached the FA Cup final before losing to Portsmouth last spring, will call on Cooper to help replace English legend Robbie Fowler and Dutch forward Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink.
I think it is the right decision for Cooper, who would have the chance to play one level below the Premier League, with a chance to help Cardiff City gain promotion, or earn himself a transfer to an established team in the English Premier League.
What do you think about Cooper going to Cardiff City? Is it a good move? Should he have gone to Rosenborg instead? Should he stay in MLS?
Must apologise for yesterday – Brann i meant 2 say qualified for the champs league from norwegian league
ROSENBERG ARE NOT IN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE THIS SEASON. THEY QUALIFIED FOR THE UEFA CUP THROUGH THE INTERTOTO ON THE WEEKEND.
Fao. Brian.
No worries about our (Cardiff’s) style of football – we’re a proper footballing team, not hoofers! We like to keep the ball on the floor and pass it.
Hope very much that Cooper joins the Bluebirds, he’s just what we’ve been looking for – I’m sure the fans would take to him, he could become a hero at Cardiff City!
“Ok, explain how come Rosenborg have sold players to Liverpool, Tottenham, Rangers,Celtic, Valencia, B.Dortmund too manetion a few?”
Exactly – any good players are quickly sold to the Premiership because the standard of the Norwegian league isn’t that great.
Rosenberg are one of the biggest clubs in their league – yet their stadium is slighly smaller than Cardiff’s current stadium and a lot smaller than their new one.
A move to norway over the english championship (and a stepping stone into the Premiership) could be career suicide.
It’s funny too see you guys diss Rosenborg and the Norwegian Premier League, without knowing a bit about our team, our stadium, our league, our players etc. Honestly guys, I don’t think that the Championship is so much better than the Tippeliga. And be serious guys, Rosenborg is a bigger club than Cardiff, it’s nothing to argue about. We have fan clubs all around the globe, we’re respected for our achievements out in Europe . Cardiff City is a great club, in the championship and in Wales, but you’ll never achieve what we have achieved out in Europe, the first step for you guys is to get to the Premier League.
I’m pretty sure Rosenborg is the better team but a move to England could be more tempting since Norway is a little “offside” from the rest of Europe. But remember Norway has been ranked the best country to live in over and over so if he don’t mind the snow i think he would enjoy Norway. Anyway, let Cooper decide wich team is the best.
Dean: You say Cardiff won against Celtic and Guimares. Last season, we won both home and away against Valenicia (The spanish giants). We play CL, you don’t. That’s a big difference you know…
Cardiff or Rosenborg, at least he will be getting to a place where the league is not administered by a central planning committee.
urbeka, soory would have posted on the previous but did’nt see your comment until it was finished.
I know exactly what you mean about having to sell if the right offer comes in, thats football.
We just sold Aaron Ramsey, the most talked about youngster this season and probably the best talent our acadamy has ever produced to Arsenal for 5mil.
Like I said above I honestly belive that in the long run Kenny would become a better player from playing 46+ games of competative football a season with us, but again like i said above what it boils down to is Kenny is a fantastic talent and we all want him at our respective clubs.
Rawky, dismissing your club was not my objective, I for one enjoyed last year with you getting one over on Chelski, it brought warm feelings to my heart. Clubs like Chelski and Man Utd are whats wrong with football, so when the so called ‘smaller clubs’ get one over on them it truely represents what we love about our game. The same with us when we got to the FA cup final in May.
The point I am hopefully making is that competativly, i think our league gives any player much more of a test, if the lad ends up at Rosenborg then all the best to him. But I do belive he would end up a better player in the long run playing for us.
I understand what your saying also about putting himself in the shop window, but to be honest i think that is neither here nor there. He would just as likely be spotted with us as he would with you, probably more so with the larger english clubs, although I do conceed you may have more continental scouts watching you. This season we’ve had scouts and offers from most of the Premier league teams for at least 3 of our players, one of whom has just signed for Arsenal.
I guess we can all agree that we are all fans of Kenny Cooper, skillful players are always in demand, and I certainly would get a buzz watching a player of his talent playing for my team as I’m sure you are as well.
” also think that by you selling Stoor to Fulham says it all really”
Well, at least he didn’t end up in Cardiff, he rather chose to play in the premier league.
And as you say – money talks: when Rosenborg receives a 3M pund (6M dollar) bid for a player that is not even considered to be one of the stars in the team, and the player wants to go and is also approaching the last part of his 3.5 years contract, then it is difficult to say no.
Of course the Oremier League is a much better league than the norwegia league, and every player in the world wants to play at this level. And the Championship mot certainly is better as a whole than the norwegian Tippeliga. There’s no competition there.
But I will point out that even though Rosenborg has been the “big fish”, we have always met very potent rivals in both qualifying rounds and in the Champions League and when we have lost the games, it has been out of seasong for us (in the Winter). For example: The games we had no chance last fall in CL, was the games that came after our season were over and we did not play on a weekly basis at home. You cannot expect a team to compete at the highest level with no possibility to train at the highest level, or up to it.
We have been through a generational shift the last couple of years, with a lot of changes in coaches, but we are finally getting it together and the team that is coming together now has a far better quality to it than most of our scandinavian rivals.
I guarentee that Kenny Cooper will win something if he comes to Norway, and he will also get to compete in Europe (we could get to the CL next year already), I’m pretty sure we will go far in the UEFA-cup if Cooper signs with us and make no mistake: Rosenborg is a great place to be seen by bigger clubs.
Cardiff if surely a great club, but compared to the big clubs in England, Rosenborg is no less a club than our welsh friends!
maybe if you base your assumption on champions league qualification…….. but then that would mean that Rosenborg were bigger than little spurs lol.
Sorry but, I am _pretty_ sure Rosenborg has a better name than little Cardiff out in Europe…
In response to our Norway rivals/friends ;), Last week we beat Celtic and Guimares, two sides who will be in the Champions League this season. On friday we play Ajax Amsterdam, next week our league begins, 46 fully competative games which will take us through to next May. We will also be aiming to go one better in the FA cup and win it for the second time, which will really rub the English noses in it!!
On the subject on who is the better side, with all due respect I would fancy the mighty Cardiff to beat you home and away quite comfortably. Fair play you drew with Chelsea a year ago, but after the result, their manager Mourinio resigned immeadatly and Chelsea went on to get to the final, they did not play Rosenborg in the final, they played another English team… Man Utd. Rosenborg went out in the group stages, again.
Our record attendance for a league game is 52+ thousand, Rosenborg’s is 29+ thousand.
Your side is the most sucessful side in Norway. A Man Utd of Norway if you will. However, your side qualifies for Europe by virtue of being the big fish in a very small pond, and yet in your previous season you did not finish in the top 3, and as things stand you are 7th out of 14th after 13 games played.
I also think that by you selling Stoor to Fulham says it all really, as I’m sure your aware Fulham ar’nt in any european competion and havent been for a very long time, The fact that your player wants to leave you and your european football for Fulham shows what the player thinks is the bigger club and the better leagues to play in.
With regards to money then i’m afraid your just going to have to live with that, Economics applies to life not just football and we are by no means a wealthy club. However I do sympathise with you as money talks in football, and that applies to clubs such as Cardiff just as much as it applies to Rosenborg.
I wish Rosenborg well during their season, but I hope that Kenny Cooper makes the right decision and joins Cardiff and the exciting times ahead for my club.
…also agree on the fact that neither I would dream of Rosenborg losing against Cardiff in a game. I would like to see Cardiff beat Valencia twice, hold Chelsea to a draw on Stamford Bridge or barely lose to Fiorentina out of season.
And: Aston Villa also qualified to the UEFA-cup through the Intertoto Cup this weekend…
I feel the Cardiff supporters here have very little knowledge about scandinavian football, and I question their geographical skills….Rosenborg from BASEL?!! OMG.
First of all: Basel is the third largest city in SWITZERLAND, not Norway.
Second: the season is over? It has just started. Rosenborg (not …burg) is seeded in the next two rounds and will this year most probably play in the UEFA Cup group stage, meeting 5 other European teams, and is still chasing the domestic title.
Third: It is interesting to see how big thougts a team finishing at (20+9? =) 29th spot in the british league system have on themselves. Though, the leagues in UK are tough and robust, that is for sure. These are leagues with much money, and I am sure that Cardiff have a lot of money as well, but I would not dream of Rosenborg losing to Cardiff in a matchup if we were to meet.
Anyway – I wish both MLS, Dallas, Cardiff (and Rosenborg) all the best in the time to come.
You are all talking about Rosenberg in the CL. They did not qualify for this after finishing 5th in their league last year. FC Basel were the only qualifiers from norway. Rosenberg have just qualified for the UEFA cup through the INTERTOTO.
Im not saying Rosenberg is a poor team, but norway have a very poor league apart from top 4 or 5.
Coops would thrive in the Coca Cola Championship with Cardiff as this is a very tough and physical league where u need 2 be big, have some skill and some pace. Coops seems 2 have all required attributes from what ive seen.
Nice 2 talk to u my friends from over the pond
To echo previous comments with regards to Rosenburg and Cardiff, even though i’m a cardiff fan, from a neutral perspective cardiff is a far better footballing choice over Rosenburg. We play in far more competative domestic league and cup competitions, and we are in with a real shout of making the premier league this season, the lad kenny would certainly help us achieve this.
With all due respect to Rosenburg, they are the biggest team in Norway, but if you look at their league this season are well off the pace in mid-table. Also consider that outside of the occational early rounds of the european competions, their season is pretty much over. The most they can hope for is to make the 6 game group stages of the champions league (which incidently they are not in this season). I think if their fans were honest, kenny’s football development would be far better served playing competative football twice a week than playing a few european games, then playing part-time sides when they get knocked out.
From what I’ve seen of the lad he could definatly make it in the english league, even better if he can get a season in the championship before making the step up with us.
On a final note I do hope that kenny joins us not for the money, but because he wants to progress as a footballer (soccer player!!) Sport (particually football/soccer) is full of players who care only about the money rather than fufilling their potential. The best players are the ones who look to acheive all they can, then get the rewards, rather than those chasing the next big payday.
By the way the Coca Cola Championship is officially the Worlds 5th Richest League to
To those of you still seemingly unconvinced of our (Cardiff’s) status and still under the belief that Rosenborg would be a better move for KC.
We have a long and proud history within the English Football formed in 1899 we are the only team to take the FA Cup (arguably the most exciting and well known club competition within football history.) out of England. Our highest league position was in the old first division (now the premier league) when we lost the title on goal difference eventually finishing as runners up.
We compete in all the english club competetions as well as the Welsh Cup which for many years provided us entry into European competitions. Our Greatest run in europe took us to the semi final of the old european cup winners cup (now UEFA cup) where we finally lost 4-3 on agg. to SV Hamburg. Arguably the greatest result the club has ever had was when we beat Real Madrid – yes that real madrid in the afformentioned competition 1 – 0.
Admittedly the club suffered a huge dip during the eighties and spent the majority of the nineties re-establishing them selves amongst the lower echelons of the english pyramid system however I genuinley feel that its fair to say that we are very close to a return to the top flight of the english league system.
Apart from our F.A cup final appearance this season – whilst conceding only twice goal on route to the final scoring nine. Scalps that we took on the route include Wolverhampton Wanderers as well as premier league Middlesboro and in the semi final we played Barnsley (conquerers of both Liverpool and Chelski) and played them off the pitch.
Bringing you right up to date we have just won the Algarve cup an invitation tournamnet hosted in portugal., Other teams involved weere Middlesboro, Celtic and Guimares of the Portuguese top division. We were unbeaten in the tournament winning the cup by four clear points. Incidentaly both Celtic and Guimares are playing in the champions league this season. We beat them 1-0 and 2-1 respectively.
Rosenborg are a slightly younger club being formed in 1917, however they themselves have a rich history. There most impressive victory to date must surely be their famous victory in 1996 -97 when the defeated the italian giants 2-1 to put them out and ensure their own progression into the next round where they promptly lost 3-1 to Juventus.
They dominated the Norwegian premier league for many years however they are currenlty in a dip of form with many other teams in the Norwegian league closing the gap much (as is happening in the EPL between the big 4 and the rest – or even the CCC and the EPL!)
That said they are still regulars in europe but it is inevitably usually just for the group stages.
Just a bit other info somebody mentioned on this thread that Rosenborg have sold players to EPL teams…..
The biggest bidding war for a teenager in a long time happened with one of our acadamey produced players last season with Arsenal eventually beating both Man Utd and Everton for his signature ( Aaron Ramsey) Other players to make it from the cardiff city ranks in recent years include – Chris Gunter(Tottenham)Danny Gabbidon anmd James Collins (West Ham) Mark Delaney (Aston Villa), Michael Chopra(Sunderland), Rob Earnshaw (Derby), Cameron Jerome (Birmingham).
In our current team we have two full Welsh internationals, Four Full Scottish internationals, one finnish international, two full northern Irish internationals,a couple of eire internationals, englands under 21 1st choice goal keeper, a dutch under 21 international, most of the welsh under 21 squad and a handfull of B internationals.
Basically we are a club on the up, we have a strong side and a great youth policy which allows us to remain competetive finacially, we move into a new stadium next season and may very well be playing premiership football there too.
With no disrespect to Rosenborg we are simply a much bigger club that can provide much better development for Cooper. Also, Finally to those who see this as a stepping stone to a EPL club, we are not a selling club, we are building something and part of the attraction for KC i’m sure is to be a part of that, I hope he isn’t just coming for the money because the last thing we need is players who don’t really want to be at the club.
Diolch yn Fawr,
Good Luck to Dallas in the latter half of your season.
To add some to the answer for what players might go through from Rosenborg:
The next one to go through from the club might be the young midfield talent Per Christian Skjelbred. Right now he is followed by a number of good European sides, and amongst them Ajax and Blackburn Rovers also was at the Rosenborg Stadium last night;
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11676_3878909,00.html
http://fotball.adressa.no/eliteserien/article113983.ece
I have to admit that I do not know so much about Cardiff FC, but I guess these clubs are regulars at the Cardiff games as well.
I’ve been reading your updates on Kenny with much curiosity. It seems to be in conflict with what Kenny himself has to say in regards to these stories. I’m going to have to go with Kenny’s word and that means he plans to finish out his season at FCD and then look at other options.
The last talented player to go through Rosenborg in the past is actually at medical check at Fulham today Monday, for a 3 million pund transfer.
This is Fredrik Stoor, the Swedish national team right defender.
He played all three games in the previous world cup.
He arrived Rosenborg as a talent for two years ago, progressed to earn his spot on the national team this season, played very well in the world cup, and is now ready for the premier league (not the second level)…
The biggest Norwegian name to go through from Rosenborg is John Carew, to Valencia. After this he helped Valencia getting through to the Champions League final and played striker in this as well. On the way to the final he scored against Arsenal both away and at home. He has later on played for Rome and in Turkey and is now a striker in Aston Villa (and for the Norwegian national team).
I know he’s not Angel or Blanco. My point is that it seems homegrown talent can’t work it’s way up the salary scale. I suspect he would have stayed for mid to upper six figures, and that would be a good deal for FCD and MLS at that rate. If that tied up a DP slot, so be it. That’s not to say he has a long proven career, but it’s not like FCD is going to bring that type player in anyway.
On the other hand- give me a break with the MLS bashing re selling. Last time I looked there only a handful of teams in the world that don’t have to sell their best players (although many can in return buy as well). Someday we’ll get there or at least close, but sales are an indication of quality talent in the league, not an indictment of it.
Norway… not exactly ‘main-land’ Europe, but I digress.
What talented names have gone through Rosenborg in the past… Also, they have been getting dumped pretty fast into the Uefa Cup w/o progressing in soccer’s NIT tournament either in the last few years.
Cardiff is a strongly supported club and he’ll get the chance to get back to the Prem. either by xfer or promotion fairly soon if he does well.
bob- keep watching La Liga then… honestly guys, theres nothing this league can do to keep our best players.. they’ll continue to go abroad until the league developes beyond theirs (which it probably never will)…
No Champions League for Rosenborg this season (in opposite to many of the previous seasons), but Rosenborg won their Intertoto Cup branch last night and qualified for 2nd qualification round for UEFA Cup, by beating the team that placed no 3 in Holland last season, NAC Breda, with a 2-1 on aggregate.
Highlights from the game is available at the following link:
http://webtv.tv2.no/webtv/sumo/?treeId=20813&progId=254874
It might be that Cooper will earn more money in Cardiff FC, but with respect to developing, and with respect to visibilty for major European clubs I am not in doubt that Rosenborg will be the best.
Rosenborg in Champions League last season drew away at Stamford Bridge and won at both home and away against a top club as Valencia. Rosenborgs ambitions record and ambitions are very high.
Bravo, MLS — another good player shipped somewhere else. It’s a good thing I primarily watch La Liga.
We’re hearing at the moment that he might choose Rosenborg, can’t get confirmation as yet, hope it’s not true.
Goalkeepr wise…I’m sure the likes of Reis, Cannon, Condoul, Busch, Sutton, Rimando, Hesmer, Sutton, Hartman, even Sala could be good for the Championship. Our goalkeeping is a strength. Reis could be in the EPL no doubt.
Zenabi – It would be a novel idea to give someone who has barely accomplished anything on a national let alone international level receiving the DP title and money. I don’t think it is neccesarily wrong just not what was intended when the rule was brought in. It would be a landmark decision if Dallas did that (IMHO)
Bob Bank Dave, all the good American keepers are playing in the Premiership. Goalkeepers are, without a doubt, our best footballing exports. There are some weak keepers in MLS, but only because every time we produce a good one, he gets snapped up by Aston Villa, Manchester United, etc.
Football in the states is moving along at a nice enough pace, considering how much in the shadow of other sports(BaseBall, American Football,Basketball) it’s in.
We used to call it soccer as a slang term in the 60’s / 70’s over here, so nothing new there.
Cardiff are a team with good prospects and already have players in the side that are sought after by premiership clubs, we recently sold an acadamy player for £5million to Arsenal, a 17 year old Aaron Ramsey. We have training facilities comparable to premier clubs(better than a lot of them), and as stated above a new stadium which will be ready to play in by 2009.
If Cooper comes he will be playing with a good footballing side that can mix it with the best, we thoroughly outplayed Middle’boro on our way to the FA cup Final, beating them soundly 2-0.
In all, we really fancy our chances of promotion if we can get the right guy upfront, we believe that could be Cooper.