Michael Cooper

[MarkMatthews]

I was looking up Brentford Goalkeeper Daniel Bentley and how he has developed since in his debut. 6 years ago (next Tuesday) he made his debut as a halftime sub vs Torquay. My point is, 6 years down the line Bentley is playing in the Championship and was described as the "best outside the premier league", we need to develop MC in the right way; whether that's having him as 2nd choice for the time being (with a keeper loaned in) or he plays vs Wimbledon on Saturday. I trust DA and co to develop him the right way.

Because Derek Adams track record on developing young players is? What exactly? If he was Gradi or Tisdale then I would be confident he would do best by him. However he isn't and I'm not.

 

[Pilgrim28]

Just spoken to a mate of mine, and he has been told that Argyle are looking at the possibility of taking Harry Burgoyne on an emergency 7-day loan, should Luke be injured.

 

[MarkMatthews]

I subscribe to the good enough, older enough school of thought. Personally I think the shirt should be his until he deserves to lose it, I think we should be playing players based on form not on reputation so would much rather have Mike rather than some third choice Championship keeper who rarely plays anyway.

Fletcher and Cooper have only got chances when management have been absolutely desperate, with very little other option but to play them. What they both have in common is they have taken those chances and proven themselves. People now need to ask what are others such as: Alex Battle, Callum Rose, Jordan Bentley, Dan Rooney, Aaron Taylor, Sam Ryan and Ryan Law are capable of. My opinion is at the very least three (if not six,) of those are being held back by first team management and their development hampered. A lot of them are in positions where "senior" players have really struggled week in week out. I can see no reason they wouldn't take their chances any less then Fletcher and Cooper and would inject a bit of oomph and blob into things. We cant wrap them all up in cotton wool, football is a shorter career than ever in these lower leagues if you don't make an instant impact and get continued opportunities off the back of it, just ask: Louis Rooney, Callum Hall, and River Allen. Only one way they can get experience and that is to play and if they don't play they will all be released by May! Fletcher and Cooper, like Tyler Harvey and Louis Rooney before them have not struggled with the mental side of things. The academy is clearly doing a good job in preparation for a career in football, all seem grounded and have good expectation management, all know the tough reality and how cut throat it is. I would wager, to a man they would all rather go out, have a crack and fail then to never get chance to sink or swim and get released!

It would be inevitable Mike would make a mistake to validate him losing the shirt if he was given a run sooner or later but then once he has had a taste for it, he will be hungry to win it back, know what he is working for, what not to do again, learn from any mistakes, come back, show improvement etc.

Not sure he slipped through Exeter's net either back then if you had an choice I imagine ours would look preferable. Just like now if I had a son who had the choice I would think Exeter's looked better. Although in the current climate he is probably the only one who is better off here than Exeter as they have already been developing Christy Pym for a number of seasons now so he probably would be coming through at the wrong time there. I said on a thread here after the Exeter game at home last season how I thought Mike Cooper is a better goalkeeper than Pym (that's not a sly dig at Christy Pym either because I was on actually on the thread defending him.) But there is a good model to follow, he has had his ups and downs but keeps plugging away little runs in and out of the team and I don't think he is a nervous wreck and a man of shattered, career ending, confidence is he? Of course he isn't, he grew in strength and stature, learned from his mistakes and is now first choice keeper at a club near the top of their league by the age of 22. I can only go by the Indy star ratings and he seems to get a lot of 4/5*s.

I don't think that's fair. Alex Fletcher has been given a fair bit of support - he started up front on Saturday against top of the league despite Blissett, Grant and Jervis being available. Fletcher has come off the bench regularly this season when the likes of Ainsworth can't get a run out.

He has got that because he has forced managements hand as top scorer!

 

[HC Green]

I was looking up Brentford Goalkeeper Daniel Bentley and how he has developed since in his debut. 6 years ago (next Tuesday) he made his debut as a halftime sub vs Torquay. My point is, 6 years down the line Bentley is playing in the Championship and was described as the "best outside the premier league", we need to develop MC in the right way; whether that's having him as 2nd choice for the time being (with a keeper loaned in) or he plays vs Wimbledon on Saturday. I trust DA and co to develop him the right way.

Because Derek Adams track record on developing young players is? What exactly? If he was Gradi or Tisdale then I would be confident he would do best by him. However he isn't and I'm not.

Perhaps like Gradi or Tisdale you should judge him after he has been manager for 5 or so years and has had time to fully reorganise the youth set up.

 

[MarkMatthews]

I was looking up Brentford Goalkeeper Daniel Bentley and how he has developed since in his debut. 6 years ago (next Tuesday) he made his debut as a halftime sub vs Torquay. My point is, 6 years down the line Bentley is playing in the Championship and was described as the "best outside the premier league", we need to develop MC in the right way; whether that's having him as 2nd choice for the time being (with a keeper loaned in) or he plays vs Wimbledon on Saturday. I trust DA and co to develop him the right way.

Because Derek Adams track record on developing young players is? What exactly? If he was Gradi or Tisdale then I would be confident he would do best by him. However he isn't and I'm not.

Perhaps like Gradi or Tisdale you should judge him after he has been manager for 5 or so years and has had time to fully reorganise the youth set up.

Knowing who you are, as someone who watches these lads as much as, if not more than me so one of a few posters who I genuinely mean, with all due respect, would you not lament, Adams legacy of doing right by promising youth prospects has seen an entire year group, including:Ben Steer, Jake Miller, Owen Jones, Jack Calver, Bill Palfrey, Jamil Roberts et al, on the scrap heap. Dan Rooney and Alex Battle fast heading the same way. No signs yet that Callum Rose, Bentley possibly Fletch won't go the same way? He hasn't got 5 years. What's coming through isn't the same either in quantity or quality( we couldn't even fill the quota of apprentices this year!) the two best years in a generation as you well know. One is already lost we have six months to save the next.

 

[HC Green]

I was looking up Brentford Goalkeeper Daniel Bentley and how he has developed since in his debut. 6 years ago (next Tuesday) he made his debut as a halftime sub vs Torquay. My point is, 6 years down the line Bentley is playing in the Championship and was described as the "best outside the premier league", we need to develop MC in the right way; whether that's having him as 2nd choice for the time being (with a keeper loaned in) or he plays vs Wimbledon on Saturday. I trust DA and co to develop him the right way.

Because Derek Adams track record on developing young players is? What exactly? If he was Gradi or Tisdale then I would be confident he would do best by him. However he isn't and I'm not.

Perhaps like Gradi or Tisdale you should judge him after he has been manager for 5 or so years and has had time to fully reorganise the youth set up.

Knowing who you are, as someone who watches these lads as much as, if not more than me so one of a few posters who I genuinely mean, with all due respect, would you not lament, Adams legacy of doing right by promising youth prospects has seen an entire year group, including:Ben Steer, Jake Miller, Owen Jones, Jack Calver, Bill Palfrey, Jamil Roberts et al, on the scrap heap. Dan Rooney and Alex Battle fast heading the same way. No signs yet that Callum Rose, Bentley possibly Fletch won't go the same way? He hasn't got 5 years. What's coming through isn't the same either in quantity or quality( we couldn't even fill the quota of apprentices this year!) the two best years in a generation as you well know. One is already lost we have six months to save the next.

Football is a cruel industry, I was speaking to one of the youngster’s parent last Friday and asked how he must have seen a lot of friends leave each year over the 8 years he had been with Argyle as each age group a selection is made and youngster let go we tend to only hear about the 17/18 year olds.

I don’t know if the players you mention are good enough to make it as I am not a football professional, I have to go by and accept the decision made by those that are.

All I will say is that in my years of watching Argyle the current management team is the one that seems to be taking more interest and spend more time involved in the youth set up.

Just an example of this is the number of U18 and SWPL games that they attend especially Adams.

 

[briangreen]

If it’s the case we can easily get a good third choice ‘keeper from a Prem or Championship club with some experience as Posty says then that’s a no-brainer. But I’m really not sure I’d want to take a punt on (say) Burton’s fourth choice 21 year old who’s never played for the first team himself. It entirely depends on who we can get at such short notice.

I understand what X-isle is saying but not sure I quite buy that argument. Being suddenly thrown on when not expecting it has its own psychological problems. Ask David James - he came on for England once and had a nightmare – he complained about how he wasn’t mentally ‘switched on’ because he wasn’t expecting it (this from an experienced international – although he was cr@p anyway). Cooper had seen the first half injury, then had half time for all the butterflies to start and knew full well it was going to be a barrage he was going to face. I’d have been absolutely kakking myself - I don’t mind admitting. That showed mental strength to me – so having the rest of the week to get his head around it and with the feel-good feelings from last night can’t be worse surely? He’ll have some gobby home fans to deal with but I imagine there were quite a few at Ewood who would have had a good go last night – and Saturday there will be a big GA contingent. Whatever – it’s good to know we’ve got such an apparently bright prospect and last night would have done the lad’s confidence the world of good.

This I do agree with, but I think Adams will use the loan. He's already given his excuse about he's just an apprentice....

 

[X Isle]

Just spoken to a mate of mine, and he has been told that Argyle are looking at the possibility of taking Harry Burgoyne on an emergency 7-day loan, should Luke be injured.

Not sure that would constitute the experienced head I was thinking of, but we'll see.

 

[Isondil]

Can see Te Loeke being released in summer and letheren becoming no 2 or 1 with luke and Cooper taking third choice
Would make sense to me although he was no 3 before letheren signed but I think next year he needs to be no3 and play most of the reserve games sharing with no2
If he doesn't progress to no 3 at least how can we expect him to develop

Assuming RTLs contract was a 12 monther + if you play x you’ll get another. Like so many under DAs tenure. This would be a sensible approach now we are in the Central League.

 

[jimsing]

Contrary to the current opinion about Cooper, it would be wrong to put him into the team at this moment in time.

The Club is in an extremely difficult position. We are bottom of the division. Every point is now a prisoner. The manager cannot afford to blood Cooper. He needs an experienced keeper, it is such a vital position, and cannot be trusted to an apprentice, however good the fanbase think of him.

Adams would be irresponsible , both to the Club and to the fanbase and to the rest of his players, if he allowed Cooper to play. He can remain as understudy and he will learn from that experience.

I understand the clamour from the fanbase for him to remain in position, and he may or may not be good enough, but the pressure would be too intense, we don't know how he would react, and his progress could be put back years.

We need every point we can muster and we cannot afford the risk to give away pointage. Goalkeeper is such a vital position that we need a professional, with experience of playing in this division, hopefully.

It may be only for a week or two until Luke returns to the fold, but these points could be vital at the end of the season, we (the manager) cannot afford the risk of throwing them away. We've lost too many points so far to go down that road.

 

[jimsing]

Just spoken to a mate of mine, and he has been told that Argyle are looking at the possibility of taking Harry Burgoyne on an emergency 7-day loan, should Luke be injured.

Harry Burgoyne doesn't inspire me at all. He may well be thought well of at Wolves, but still inexperienced in our division.

 

[IJN]

Contrary to the current opinion about Cooper, it would be wrong to put him into the team at this moment in time.

The Club is in an extremely difficult position. We are bottom of the division. Every point is now a prisoner. The manager cannot afford to blood Cooper. He needs an experienced keeper, it is such a vital position, and cannot be trusted to an apprentice, however good the fanbase think of him.

Adams would be irresponsible , both to the Club and to the fanbase and to the rest of his players, if he allowed Cooper to play. He can remain as understudy and he will learn from that experience.

I understand the clamour from the fanbase for him to remain in position, and he may or may not be good enough, but the pressure would be too intense, we don't know how he would react, and his progress could be put back years.

We need every point we can muster and we cannot afford the risk to give away pointage. Goalkeeper is such a vital position that we need a professional, with experience of playing in this division, hopefully.

It may be only for a week or two until Luke returns to the fold, but these points could be vital at the end of the season, we (the manager) cannot afford the risk of throwing them away. We've lost too many points so far to go down that road.

Agree with that, the lad did brilliantly but A) A bad mistake in the league would destroy him and B) We need experience.

 

[Knibbsworth]

I don't think that's fair. Alex Fletcher has been given a fair bit of support - he started up front on Saturday against top of the league despite Blissett, Grant and Jervis being available. Fletcher has come off the bench regularly this season when the likes of Ainsworth can't get a run out.

He has got that because he has forced managements hand as top scorer!

Forced his hand as top scorer? Settle down! Fletcher has got a total of three goals, and two came in a cup match against Chelsea's schoolboys.

I had concerns about Fletch starting up front alone against Shrewsbury, but Adams backed him. Jervis and Blissett have scored league goals this season, but he opted for the young man. DA's hand was far from pushed there, but it doesn't suit your conviction that all of the youth team are ready for the step up to League One football and it's only Derek Adams holding them back.

 

[Knibbsworth]

The lad from Sunderland who moved to Everton seems to have done okay for himself - he is young - but GOOD enough.

Give the lad a go!!

Jordan Pickford is 23 years old, and has had over 150 appearances at various clubs before moving to Everton. His last stint at Sunderland showed some decent form in the Premier League.

Everton didn't just pick him out of the youth side and make him the new number one. He's a £25m player.

 

[Adam R]

It does beg the question where should these players get experience. Even if he had played a few years in the Central League i guess he still would have "league experience". As a third choice keeper at a struggling L1 club his chances really are going to be few and far between.

Not sure what his mental strength is like but would be interesting to see him given a run of games in the first team. He may prove himself, he may get snapped up by another club after some good performances. Otherwise, no offence to the lad, he is just a pointless cog in the machine. Kind of the second back-up generator that when called upon is replaced by another generator. This is his chance - probably an unforeseen opportunity but it has arisen so let him show what he can do.

More senior players with bags of experience have cost us points this year, why should a young lad not be given an opportunity in-case he does the same?