Those of you wondering just where Kenny Cooper might transfer to this winter might want to find another American to follow this transfer window.
FC Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman recently revealed that he has been told Cooper will be staying in MLS for the 2009 season, a major positive for a club that missed the playoffs in 2008.
“I believe we will have Kenny for this year,” Hyndman told DallasSoccerNews.com. "All I know, we got an okay to count on Kenny for the season.”
If true, then FC Dallas will be able to head into the upcoming MLS Draft focused on bolstering its shaky defense. Sources tell SBI that the Hoops are working hard to trade up to the No. 2 slot to grab Maryland central defender and Dallas-area product Omar Gonzalez. FC Dallas currently holds the No. 5 and No. 11 picks and one possibility could see the Hoops packaging defender Adrian Serioux with one of its first-round picks for Toronto FC's No. 2 overall pick.
What do you think of Cooper staying in MLS another year? Happy to see him stay put, or disappointed that he isn't getting the chance to play in Europe? Think FC Dallas can turn things around in 2009?
Share your thoughts below.
Serioux and the #5 or #11 for TFC’s #2? That doesn’t make sense for either team.
From the Dallas perspective, they’re giving up a run-of-the-mill starter to move up for a project center back (I have seen Gonzalez many times; he’s not going to walk in and start). For a team that just said they have Cooper for 1 more year, there should be much more of a “win now” mentality, right? Win now teams don’t trade starters for projects.
For TFC, Serioux is Canadian, but that’s about it. He’s not as good as Carl Robinson as a defensive midfielder, he’s not a good enough center back to use regularly, and at this point it looks like Wynne will be in Toronto for another year (meaning right back is unavailable). I don’t see Mo Johnston making a move for no apparent reason, and there is no apparent reason to make this move.
This is kind of unrelated, but someone said TFC has the potential to be a 20 win team. Are these wins going to happen in friendlies? Are we counting intersquad matches? Last time I checked, TFC was poor in goal, soft in central defense, mediocre on the wings, and lacking a real cutting edge up front. That’s a lot of problems to fix well enough to even be a merely good team. Only 1 team in MLS history has won 20 games in a season (not counting shootout wins), and that happened in a 32 game season in 1998. TFC is as likely to win 20 games as Dema Kovalenko is to win the Fair Play award.
Andy – Spot on wrt to Cooper comments on playing in Frankfurt. That’s what I said in earlier thread.
Well, personally I wouldn’t trade for Serioux for a bag of balls given his sorry play last season. Flagrant fouls, bad defending, thuggish behaviour, lockerroom cancer. Dallas is likely stuck with him.
I like this. I don’t think he would get much PT unless he signed for low division club. Then what good would that be doing him? Just ask one Eddie Johnson….you can go ahead and write off your National Team days. I would rather see him playing a full 90 for Dallas than coming off of the bench in Europe. Hopefully Kenny had some say in staying and he did it knowing it would enhance his chances of getting call-ups for the men’s national team.
Andy in Atlanta – I believe MLS has TWO option years left on Cooper’s contract, so they can keep him a year and still sell him off and get a fee for him. I agree with you, he could handle Europe a lot easier than EJ or even Adu in some ways. For personal reasons I’d like to see him stay ’cause I enjoy watching week in week out, but he could handle a move abroad. FCD holds all the cards now however and probably want to build around him and Cunningham this year.
glad he’s staying… i wil get a chance to see him now.
Sorry I do not spell that well when I am all riled up…
GOD!! Again you people are clueless… Cooper would start just about anywhere mid-table first division he would go… Kenny is not Eddie Johnson… Kenny know the European tactics and can handle anything that people throw at him… He is one of our most gifted (Physically and technically) players who would start by February @ Frankfurt.
You guys want to talk about Altidore not playing much but Jozy is 6 years younger and plays for a top 4 side…
Freddy Adu is a great player who does see the bench at Monaco and I think he has a poor attitude at times..
Eddie Johnson is cluless about tactical football and only wants to run onto through balls which is not easy in the Championship. Plus he is just average ability and great physical qualities…also LAZY
KENNY COOPER = Strong, not bad pace for a big guy, exceptional touch for his size, tactically trained @ Manure, a knack for scoring goals, a great work ethic, posistive attitude and no work permit issues…
If you think a club like Stoke City or WBA could not use a player like Cooper then you are mad. Frankfurt would have been a perfect fit for him. I am not sure that the dealings over Cooper are done.
ALSO…Why lose money over Kenny? He has 1 year on his contract left…don’t let him go as a free agent, make somebody pay 4-5 Million for him for god sake.. we don’t exactly have a slovent league here…
Get out Kenny, or relegate yourself to the Gold Cup for 2009!
I trust Lyle York.
sorry that should say chance not change
Looking forward to Serioux hopefully joining us. Seems like a reasonable deal, still holding on to a first round draft pick and getting a much needed cb.
J- The reason Mo rid of Serioux the first time is because he was out for at least 6 months with a broken leg AND we had a change to get want away Ronnie Obrien. Im sure this time he will stick (hes a hometown boy, from Scarborough like DeRo)
Gonzalez and Brek Shea are both 6′ 3″ or taller. They could make a fierce duo of center backs for FCD in a few years if the Hoops are able to pull off the trade. If TFC’s not willing to deal, though, I’m all for Ives’s mock draft – Dallas needs help on the left wing and Jeremy Hall could provide real attacking potential from that spot.
Cooper has two years left on his current contract and multiple endorsements, so I don’t think he’s hurting for money.
It’ll only be a good thing should Cooper, with some improvement, preserve his great form from last season. It’s always a gamble when making these choices.
The Cooper situation is still not a good one if he stays with the same contract. I think him staying is a good thing for his national team chances because he has a chance to get the playing time he needs.
As far as the draft and Serioux I doubt that FC Dallas gives up the player and that picke. I can see them giving up either or but not both. Now if they are giving up a McCarthy or another young midfielder maybe but not one of their starting fullbacks. This is coming from a hoops fan.
For all the people saying that Cooper wanted to stay in MLS cause he saw others in europe getting no playing time, well that is bull. Kenny scored a ton of goals and was a top player in the MLS this season and didn’t get called up for anything. He got in, what, one meaningless game. Davies plays a lot and scored goals in sweden and what did he get called up for? Ya same as Cooper. Playing time doesn’t mean anything to Bob Bradley. He will continue to call in his favorite players and Kenny Cooper and Charlie Davies will always be fringe players under the Bradley era.
As for Kenny, he should hold out and demand a move to europe. He shouldn’t even worry about the national team when he could easily secure his financial future by making a move overseas. Getting paid 80kish a season in the MLS is just wrong. Go back to europe Kenny! You’re better than the scrub league you play in.
Sounds like Hyndman is getting back at Cooper for Cooper opting to go to Manchester United instead of going to play for him at SMU…
In all seriousness its not a bad idea because he will be will be playing regularly and won’t have to start all overt with another team. With so much going on with the National team he looks to definitely be in the mix. Staying put at FC Dallas should in the long run improve his status at the National team and club level… His stock should definitely rise…
Anytime MLS keeps talent with in the league it is a good thing.
toronto hold out, don’t give away the no 2 pick so easily, how about no to fc dallas because guess what toronto has traded away to much to be in this position to give it up that easy. tfc has the potential to be a 20-game winning team next year. I think Mo Johnston should keep his three 1st round picks and deal away the others. I also think he should sign osei telesford and sign a forward before feb, so the team has a chance to train together.
CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP
id really like to see what Cooper can do overseas but FC dallas keeps taking that dream away from me.
Ives, Serioux and a 1st round pick in exchange for the #2 seems a bit too easy. There’s got to be more involved than what you are proposing in that trade scenario.
I’d like to see Serioux in TFC red and it wouldn’t surprise me at all to see him end up in Toronto but somehow I don’t think TFC will be giving up so little to get him.
Cooper needs to keep growing, better touch, passing, defense.
Bradley needs to call him bc of the lack of quality fowards with regular playing time.
Donovan is gone, will he get playing time? Charlie Davis should also get called up regularly with his good form and playint time.
Isaac – Hmmm? Frankfurt is consistently a mid table team in one of the top leagues in the world with quality players. Dallas, on the other hand, is an inconsistent team, in a league trying to make a name for itself with players trying to make a name.
BL: Cooper deserves better than Dallas. He could play regularly at Frankfurt if he performs well.
I think this is a gamble for Cooper and any young MLS player looking to go aboad AND make the 2010 World Cup team. It seems that a lot of young players take a while to adjust to playing in Europe and while they adjust they do not see a lot of game minutes. 2008 – 2009 in the year to adjust, not 2009 – 2010 leading up to the Cup. If Cooper does not secure his place on the USMNT in 2009 and then goes abroad for 2009 – 2010 and sits his faint hopes of making the 2010 US World Cup team will get even slimmer.
I don’t think the situation has been resolved, they have only announced he is staying. Unless they pay him a lot more Cooper will be unhappy and that does not bode well for FC Dallas.
As a USMNT fan I’d rather see him go to a European team where he play, get better and be a force for the US.
I have to agree with Smacking on this one. Cooper’s seen compatriots go abroad and sit – Altidore, Adu, Edu, Johnson… and he’s got to be aware of what that means for the Nats. Note that all those guys are offensive players, esp Altidore who is competing for a spot with Cooper on the MNT. Now throw in that IF Cooper gets Hex minutes, and IF he is then positioned for a spot in the WC, his stock will rise in the eyes of overseas suitors.
I hate the whole go to europe blah!! How’s kamani hill doin? I mean if you’renot going to play consistent minutes whats the point and to say you have a better chance of playing is a lie. Califf nor Demerit get a sniff in many of the friendlies or meaningless qualifiers so I think Cooper did a great thing he will be in season and on form, when mny of these tough games come around.
honestly as much I want to keep our players in the MLS for the sake of the the Nats, go to Europe.
HOORAY for FC Dallas. AHHHHH for USMNT
So is MLS not going to make any money on a Cooper transfer? Isn’t this Cooper’s last year on his contract?
Did Cooper say himself that he wants to stay in Dallas or is this like the Subotic situation? Luckily he only has about one more year left on his contract i think and then he’ll be able to go on trial for Europe as a free agent. It might be better for him who knows. He might just be better this season and European teams know how well he did last season so if he displays consistency he might find a better team than Frankfurt.
still would’ve liked to have seen him go to Europe this season though…
“Smacking” makes a good point. I like this move too. Another year in the MLS for Cooper can’t hurt him. As much as i would love to see him go to Europe and see what he can do on a bigger stage, but he’s got a better chance of cracking the USMNT lineup playing every game with Dallas rather then working his way in to the lineup at a new team get little minutes and Bob not call him in, etc…
As a FC Dallas fan, I’m happy to see cooperstien around for a year. But would also like to see him grow in europe. Europe can wait, he will be over there in a year or two, keep forgetting that he is young, and playing time is better than riding the bench anytime.
As a Dallas fan, I saw thats great…but I would like it a lot more if they settle his contract situation before the season. I don’t want to listen to the transfer talk come up all the time, its a distraction to the team, I believe. Cooper is great to have on the team, especially being a local product and I wish they did more to market him.
As for trading Serioux to TFC, I would love that because I dont rate him, but I would be surprised if that happened. They had him before Dallas got him and turned and traded him immediately. I dont think Mo is a fan of his, but maybe his tune has changed. I will say if they give him up and their pick for the number 2, they better get some cash in the deal. I dont like trading a starter plus a top pick to move up 3 spots for a unproven kid. It may fill one hole, but creates a new one, so seems unwise.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
This is very good news. MLS keeping another great non-big-name player.
It’s one thing for Landon Donovan or Clint Dempsey to head abroad to a big European team, but it hurts the league just as much when the good but non superstar players head abroad, like Andy Dorman and Pat Noonan and the like.
Kenny is ready for a return abroad. I think Eintracht Frankfurt would have been a good move for him. After his training stint here back in Nov, what happened to the potential move?
I have to think that this being an important year for positioning yourself on the USMNT, plays a role in another decision. I bet players like Cooper and Marshall are thinking that taking the sure playing time of MLS, the ability to participate in the January Camp and limited travel to qualifiers, creates their best opportunity to cement themselves with one of the 23 tickets to South Africa. Assuming all goes well they can cash in on their worth next summer.
Unfortunate. He deserves better fans.