Cooper keeps proving worth to FC Dallas

Oct 4, 2008 - 2:32 PM By Bill Bernardi PA SportsTicker Soccer Editor

With immense talent, a hearty resume and perfect pedigree, Kenny Cooper garners substantial attention from both Major League Soccer and the world at large.

The FC Dallas striker has 16 goals to his credit this season, placing him three shy of Los Angeles Galaxy superstar Landon Donovan for the league lead entering Saturday's play.

Cooper's imposing build - he's 6-3, 207 pounds - and knowledge of the game leave little to be desired, so much so that many were convinced that the 23-year-old All-Star would willingly succumb to European courtship and cross the pond midway through the season.

Well, the "smart" money was soon rejected - courtesy of FC Dallas, which turned aside the respective offers of English First Division club Cartiff City and Norwegian power Rosenborg to keep the aggressive forward firmly entrenched on its roster.

Had a move been made, it would have been Cooper's second foray to Europe. He played with the Manchester United reserves in 2003-04 and, after a pair of loans to Portugal and England, headed back to the United States.

On Thursday, Cooper underscored his value to FC Dallas after he converted a penalty kick in the 89th minute to net his side a 1-1 draw with the San Jose Earthquakes.

The end result moved FC Dallas (8-9-10), which is 2-0-2 in its last four contests, into a three-way tie with Colorado (10-12-4) and Real Salt Lake (9-10-7) for third place in the Western Conference.

"I want to make a positive effect on this team, whether it's scoring goals or getting assists," Cooper said. "I know there are many ways to contribute to this team - and it's not always just goals."

True, but Cooper's tally did forge a smile across the face of FC Dallas coach Schellas Hyndman.

"Getting a point there at the end did some good things," Hyndman said. "It gave us a point and it stopped (San Jose) from getting three. So, there was some great value there in that situation.

"So, I'm walking away with what (prove to be) a great ending. We still have (three) games to play and we still control our own destiny."

With San Jose nursing a 1-0 advantage, referee Abby Okulaja whistled midfielder Francisco Lima for a handball in the penalty box. Cooper was summoned to take the penalty kick and expertly drilled the ball just inside the left goalpost.

"I didn't see it; I just heard the whistle blow," Cooper said of the controversial call. "I'm still not exactly sure what happened.

"You try not to get frustrated and keep pushing and pushing. A lot of times, there are goals at the very end. You have to give credit to our team because the last couple of games, we've been battling right to the end."

And so has Cooper, who has recorded a goal in three of his team's last four contests. His 16 tallies are the second-most in a season in franchise history, two shy of then-Dallas Burn star and current Real Salt Lake coach Jason Kreis during the 1999 campaign.

With history on our minds, we would be remiss if we didn't mention Kenny Cooper Sr., who was a goalkeeper for the Blackburn Rovers during the 1970s. He would later move to the United States to play for Dallas Tornado of the North American Soccer League and was a two-time coach of the year with the Baltimore Blast in the Major Indoor Soccer League.

After obediently studying at the foot of his father, Junior is showing just what he learned to the rest of the MLS.