It’s critical for all parties involved in the intense competition for promotion to the Premier League to turn to people with previous season’s worth of experience in similar situations.
That is a statement that certainly fits Leeds United captain Liam Cooper, who has been at Elland Road for nine years after joining from Chesterfield. The defender went on to play a significant part in the West Yorkshire team’s recent history.
Obviously, a lot of players who have played with the 32-year-old have either moved on to new opportunities or ended their professional football careers, as Cooper is by far the team’s longest-serving player with 280 appearances.
Thirteen permanent managers have occupied the Elland Road dugout during that time, with Daniel Farke being the most recent to establish his influence.
Leeds United supporter commentator responds to a significant Liam Cooper choice
The right-back has since joined divisional rivals Middlesbrough on loan for the balance of the season until his contract expires at the conclusion of the campaign. Leeds revealed the departure of fellow club mainstay Luke Ayling in recent weeks.
Additionally, there has been discussion on the possibility that the next four months could be the last that the club captain wears the renowned white shirt. Cooper is also scheduled to leave at the end of June, according to Phil Hay of the Athletic.
Following that, there was discussion about a possible loan query from Blackburn Rovers. However, the Yorkshire Evening Post quickly shot this down, stating that Cooper is prepared to battle for his position in the upcoming months.
Our Leeds United fan analyst Kris Smith told Football League World that he thought it was the right decision to keep the defender at Elland Road for the rest of the season.
“When Ayling left for Middlesbrough, it looked as though we wouldn’t be far off having to have that conversation about Liam Cooper as well,” he said. “But, for him, we had to keep Cooper in January.”
We lack the depth to decide to part with a left-sided center-half who is an essential member of the team, particularly since Pascal Struijk has been out for more than a month and it is unclear when he will return.
“In keeping with the club’s signings of experienced Championship players as well, it makes a lot of sense to keep Cooper, as he’s another player who’s been there and done it before, such as when we got promoted last time,” Smith went on to say.
“He may only play a handful of times in the Championship run-in, but his mentality for us in the dressing room and keeping the squad together could be worth a whole lot more to us.”
Liam Cooper could be key for Leeds United
Regardless of his personal playing time, Cooper’s expertise will be crucial in maintaining Leeds’ unwavering focus on promotion, as Smith mentioned.
The former Hull City defender chose to battle for his spot rather than go to Ewood Park, where he would essentially be Blackburn’s first-choice defender given that the team has the poorest defensive record in the Championship. It appears that he is aware that this may be his future job.
According to a recent report from Leeds Live, Struijk might make a comeback towards the end of the month. However, in the unlikely event that Ethan Ampadu, who has filled in at center-back during his absence, suffers an injury, Cooper would be more than happy to return to the starting lineup for the first time since the 3-0 victory over Birmingham City on New Year’s Day.
Whether he stays at Elland Road for the whole of this season or not, it is obvious that the seasoned defender wishes to solidify his reputation as a local hero in this region of Yorkshire.leed
