120 Fahrenheit: Time to Pay Cooper
July 14th, 2008 . 2:36 pm . By: Buzz CarrickFC Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman has been making a lot of noise lately about changes that are coming. After the last game Hyndman was quite adamant about getting players on and off the bus. But before FCD starts turning things over they need to take care of the player they currently have, Kenny Cooper. Hyndman has even talked about how important Cooper is to the club. So I think the time has come to give Cooper a raise. By now most of us know the back story of Cooper having gone to Man U then returned to Dallas to sign with his home town club. We’ve also also heard the story about how Cooper signed for a cheap number with the alleged promise from Lamar Hunt that a larger contract would be forthcoming if he excelled here. Unfortunately Lamar has since passed and with Cooper’s broken leg last year, the powers of FCD (Hitch, Hunts kids, and/or Morrow) decided to just maintain Cooper’s option as is. And now, as we reported, Rosenborg BK made an opening offer for Cooper that was rejected and has since come in with a second offer. From various sources and close observers it looks unlikely at this point that MLS will except the new offer, so Cooper will probably remain with FCD at least through the end of the year. Unfortunately for FCD word continues to filter around that club that teams from Germany, England, Norway, and Denmark are running the rule over Cooper. Cooper, despite being an American, holds a British passport which makes him an easy add for teams all over Europe with either work permit questions or just simple non-EU player limits. According to our sources, MLS holds two more option years on Cooper’s contract after this year. Of course a team could bid for Cooper over the winter just as Rosenborg is doing now and its hard to know if MLS would accept the offer. But one relatively new factor is the Webster ruling. In essence, any EU player (Cooper – British passport) under 28 (Cooper – 23) can buy out his contract after three yeas… and yes, this is year three for Cooper. Would he test MLS by being the first player to exercise said ruling here? Would MLS go to court? Frankly, I have no idea, that’s all legal stuff for the experts. But it doesn’t matter, the threat/thought/possibility is there. And there are almost always other ways to get out of contracts. But none of the above really matters. Here’s what matters: Cooper Jr. wants to play here in Dallas and broken leg aside he has produced every year. He has become, for lack of a better alternative perhaps, the face of this franchise. He’s young, fit, talented, proven goal scorer as well as a local boy made good. That’s an easy sell to fans and sponsors. Let’s also look at the pure numbers, if you do the math on the broken leg season it’s three straight years with goals in the teens and assists in the area of 4 or 5. Wile he’s not putting up league MVP numbers, he is putting up team MVP efforts and reliably consistent point totals. He’s also still quite young at 23. Cooper’s business people, Cooper Sr. and agent Lyle Yorks of Proactive USA, know the jumbo, career contract will be the next one after this. The one signed at 26-27. In the mean time staying here and playing is a very good option. But it’s not their only one as we talked about above. Yet given that Cooper Jr. likes it here and wants to be here, it’s the place I believe they would rather Cooper play. For that reason I think FC Dallas could keep Cooper for much less than he would get in Europe. As Phil Stephens explains here, Cooper’s salary if he moves to Europe would be in the neighborhood of $1 mil with something like a $600k to $700k base. That’s DP territory in MLS. You can bet FC Dallas and the Hunts won’t be paying that kind of money for a domestic striker, it’s just not going to happen. The Johnson contract with a rare fluke based on his perceived sale value of $5mil or so. Cooper’s not going to command $5 mil. So what’ needed is a nice compromise, and that’s what I call a Taylor Twellman type contract. That’s something in the neighborhood of $300,000+. “But wait, Twellman scores more than Cooper,” you say. Well yes, but he’s 28 and Cooper is 23. If FCD/MLS will come in at $300k, and do a little negotiating, I’m quite confident that with a couple bonus clauses they could land Cooper at $325k-$350k on a new three year deal (plus a little bump for the rest of this year). That deal would take Cooper till he’s 26 and put him in prim territory to land the big money deal of the prime of his career either with MLS or with a team in Europe. If FCD wants to hold onto Cooper like they say they do, then that’s what it’s almost certainly going to take to keep him. And that’s a compromise I think both parties should be able to live with. 18 Comments Comments RSS TrackBack Identifier URI Leave a comment |
I couldn’t agree more. People have an tendency to want what other have and not appreciate what they themselves have. I think that is the issue with fans and front office alike when it comes to Cooper. I would think with the right marketing, he would also have a great deal of earning potential locally as a product endorser. Frankly, I’m surprised that I have seen more of him in local commercials and bill boards already.
I think this was a great article and I wholeheartedly agree. Pay the man. He deserves it…but he did sign the contract lol
Buzz, what is Coop getting paid this season?
I concur! I’ve been a season ticket holder for a few years, and I will likely not return if FCD doesn’t make a strong attempt to pay Cooper what he’s worth. I mean, if we can find $400,000 to pay Devino, we can find some money for Kenny.
But why would Cooper want to stay? Does he have confidence in his ability? Everybody complains about Landy not wanting to max his potential in Europe. Coop can make a million but will play for Dallas for 300K, that’s nuts. Another broken leg could end it all anyway so he better cash in.
BTW, Buzz what do you think he’s going to say but he loves it here? You should know that’s line everyone uses in these situations.
“Buzz what do you think he’s going to say but he loves it here? You should know that’s line everyone uses in these situations.”
ozzie,
It always amazes me when a snot-nosed forum poster tries to criticize a seasoned journalist for his honest interpretation of a player’s behavior as well as previous interviews with him.
Good article Buzz, and I agree/hope that we do sign him long term. But one minor correction: don’t forget John Wagner under your “powers of FCD”…he’s President of HSG (and of FCD, technically), and their main money guy. He VERY seldom misses a chance to say ‘no’ to spending another dollar.
Eric, $80,000.00
Ozzie, Cooper Jr is as genuine as they come, if he says he wants to be here then he wants to be here. There is nothing false or fake about the kid.
And I wasn’t quoting him anyway.
Cai, yes Wagner too, absolutely.
my understanding is the webster ruling only applies to players in the EU playing for EU clubs not EU players outside of the EU. EU rulings dont apply to clubs outside of the EU. USSF and USA as a nation are not forced to recognize the ruling.
its like the draft, the draft isnt legal in the EU it restricts trade. the Bozman isnt recognized in Brasil IIRC. EU rulings dont apply outside of europe
Well said, Buzz. There is no rational reason why this organization should not lock up Kenny for a few more years right now, for all of the reasons you note.
Unfortunately, however, that sort of reasoning hasn’t always meant anything with said organization, so that makes me nervous as hell in this case.
from a futbol standpoint it makes no sense for cooper to stay here if he could command 1mm in europe
Its tough – usually players who get those kinds of contracts are ones who crack the USNT somewhat consistently – at least, from MLS League Office viewpoint. From FC Dallas’s viewpoint, he is worth it.
Great read, well said. As much as I like what I have seen from our 3 rooks (Brek, Avi, Lambo) it shames me to realize that should they hit thier bonuses they will make as much as our star player. I do realize those three have thier contracts due to Generation Adidas, but still. The front office needs to pony up.
Buzz, great article. Cooper is definitely the face of FC Dallas right now, and he deserves to be paid well. As fans, we also need to know that FCD management cares about its players. I’m hoping that in this transfer window, Schellas can extend Cooper’s contract and start to bring in the kind of young, exciting talent needed to reenergize this entire franchise.
Cooper would be nuts to stay in Dallas for anything less than $600k and thats just not going to happen. There are at least three reasons why he shouldn’y stay regardless of what FCD eventually offers.
No1 He has little to no chance of being the striker (or even a striker) for the USA if he isn’t playing in Europe. And playing for his country is very high on Coopers list.
No2 Why stay in a situation where the team plays second fiddle to any and all concerts and fireworks displays ? Where the team is virtually ignored by the local media? Where the game just isn’t as important as it is in Europe?
No 3 Why would he want to play for a bunch of lying bastards anyway ?
If Davino is worth north of 400k (he isn’t, but then neither was Shaka or Dennilson) then Cooper is worth EJ type money in MLS, which means 800k or so.
Where’s all the legal experts who have to remind everyone that Cooper is a big boy and made his bed, yada yada.
“Oh, you’re in trouble boy!”
If you guys don’t quickly recognize Duilio as the face of the franchise, he is going to start hanging out with Ben Olsen and Brian Ching some more at the TV screeeen section at Dick’s sporting goods, jeans and jersey fully jammin. And, he’ll continue his oath of silence, only giving hand gestures after a quick game of store-soccer, as Ben Olsen makes humorous quips.
“Fellas, I got to go!”
toffee,
do you pay attention to sports in america at all? Contracts are always negotiable, even well after they’ve been signed. Ultimately, yes, cooper will have to live with the contract… but as buzz alluded to, there are always ways to eventually get out of contracts. They’re not always pretty, but they work.
As a FCD fan, i want him to stay, but as a US Soccer fan, i’m not sure what i want… We’re at such a weird crossroads in US soccer these days… anyway, i’m on the verge of rambling so i’ll stop before i get started.
Jeremy – Do you know how to detect sarcasm?
Calm down my man, you and I are aligned on this even though you somehow missed my jab at legal experts like you.
And yes, I watch sports. Admittedly, I follow European football more than MLS. But, I also am an attorney that negotiates contracts for a living. Thank you for the free lesson, though.