Kenny Cooper, the Portland Timbers forward who was either much loved or hated depending on who you speak to, has been traded to the New York Red Bulls in exchange for a first round draft pick in 2013 as well as allocation monies.
Cooper, known for looking like an old man amongst boys despite being just 27 years old, was the team’s leading scorer, as well as a proven veteran influence on a team full of young and unproven players.
When the Timbers and head coach John Spencer needed to impress upon the inexperienced players on the roster just how important mental and physical toughness is to compete with the elite MLS squads, they knew they could turn to Cooper and captain Jack Jewsbury, both of whom have multiple years experience, a commodity lost on many in a “what have you done for me lately” sports nation.
Any successful sports franchise is made up of three things: Veteran talent, young talent, and great coaching. The Timbers may have a great coach in Spencer, but only time will tell. They absolutely have young talent, but to quote hockey great Ken Dryden, “It is one thing to be young and talented, and quite another to be good.”
Cooper was good. He knew it, we knew it, and the Timbers knew it. Even the Red Bulls knew it, otherwise why trade for him? The Red Bulls qualified for the playoffs in 2011, and are clearly attempting to build on their roster after a first round exit.
Having depth at forward with a proven star is a great way to head in that direction.
Their emotional and on-the-field leader departed, the Timbers raised eyebrows by doing nothing to replace him. With their first two picks in the draft, they selected defender Andrew Jean-Bapiste (UConn), and middle Brendan King (Notre Dame).
These moves, coupled with Darlington Nagbe’s in-season tryout at forward, lead some to believe that Nagbe will be taking over at forward, and that Spencer will continue to use Jorge Perlaza as his first scoring option with Nagbe rotating between middle and striker depending on their match to match offensive alignment.
Middle/forward Kalif Alhassan and Perlaza are known for their ability to get down the field perhaps faster than most. However, they tend to play with a reckless style, usually chasing balls to the corner and hoping for an optimistic outcome, whether it be a corner or free kick depending on how strict the defenders they face and how much physicality they intend to employ.
Cooper, on the other hand, was the steady man near the box, always trying to out-muscle defenders and setting the tone for his younger counterparts. Was he the fastest man on the pitch? Absolutely not, Cooper looked like a man trying to run awkwardly on two bad ankles, while at 6’3″ towering over most players in the league.
Heart is a key ingredient to any team, and Cooper had more than enough. Despite being benched for chunks of the season due to inconsistent play, Cooper still had the lead on the team in goals, and single-handedly kept the Timbers in contention early in the year as their first and perhaps only scoring option.
Cooper had a great finish to the year, and the Timbers nearly beat out the Red Bulls for the final playoff spot. However, poor team defense and an inability to finish close matches became their undoing, and will hopefully be a focus as there will likely be growing pains as the second year expansion squad looks to replace their best offensive threat.
At the end of the day, the Timbers have traded veteran savvy and a great leader for hope. They hope that their draft pick will yield them a highly touted and talented player, someone who like Nagbe will provide an immediate impact and ideally a very bright future.
No one can predict the future, however, and the Timbers may have just traded away their shot at the present for it.
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