Ex Player Joel Cooper

n1 said:
Wonder if Shayne Lavery who is also at Linfield is another we’ve considered. Ex Everton Youth, and capped by NI. Centre forward.
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According to his wiki page he started at a club called Oxford Sunnyside, presumably in N Ireland?
 
Dilla said:
https://amp.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/...epted-39383735.html?__twitter_impression=true

Anyone able to access this to see full story?
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Linfield

'I can't wait': Linfield ace Joel Cooper set to complete League One switch after bid accepted
Winger will sign for League One club and join up with ex-Glenavon pal Sykes
Joel Cooper (centre) is set to move to Oxford United.
4Joel Cooper (centre) is set to move to Oxford United.
Steven%20Beacom%20RGB.jpg

Steven Beacom
July 21 2020 09:30 AM
Linfield hero Joel Cooper has revealed he is determined to show his worth at the next level after the Blues agreed a fee with Oxford United for the winger.

The Belfast Telegraph understands that Cooper is set to discuss personal terms in the coming days and that the move is expected to be completed this week, making the 24-year-old the third Irish League star to join Oxford in the last three years.

The transfer offers the former Northern Ireland under-21 ace a golden chance across the water after helping deliver two league titles in two seasons for David Healy's men.

"I am looking forward to getting the deal across the line and can't wait to make the move to Oxford United to repay the faith they have shown in me," said Cooper.

"It would be a step up to another level but if the deal goes through, I feel I can prove myself at that level.

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"I have worked hard to get where I am and that hard work will never stop in my aim to be the best I can be for my team. I feel I have improved as a player since joining Linfield and I must thank the manager David Healy, the staff and my team-mates for that and also the fans."

Cooper had been due to play for Linfield in their friendly at home to League of Ireland side Bohemians last night but was pulled out of the game after the Windsor outfit accepted an offer from Oxford in the afternoon.

Already there is a sense of excitement at Oxford with Cooper primed to follow in the footsteps of Gavin Whyte and Mark Sykes.





Winger Whyte left Crusaders for the Kassam Stadium in 2018 and became a big favourite with the fans prior to moving to Championship club Cardiff, while midfielder Sykes transferred from Glenavon last year and scored for Oxford in their play-off final defeat by Wycombe at Wembley earlier this month.

“Gavin and Mark have gone to Oxford and shown that there is real quality in the Irish League and I want to follow in their footsteps and do well for the club. I believe I can do that,” added Cooper, whose ultimate aim would be to follow Whyte and Sykes into the senior Northern Ireland squad.

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Back in 2016, then international boss Michael O’Neill saw enough of Cooper at Glenavon to bring him along to a training camp in France ahead of the European Championship finals.

Cooper has been sensational for the Blues since departing Glenavon in 2018 and has flourished under the guidance of manager Healy.

He was instrumental in Linfield’s title glory in 2019 and, even though this season was truncated due to the coronavirus pandemic, he still played 42 games, scored 13 goals and provided 17 assists in an outstanding campaign as the Blues retained their crown on a points per game basis.

Since starting out at Ballyclare Comrades, Cooper has always been viewed as an exciting talent and, while Linfield supporters will be gutted to see him go, they will wish him all the best on what is a brilliant move made possible by his close friend and advisor Bill Peden, plus agents Stephen Whelan and Colin Murdock.

Meanwhile, the Blues beat Bohemians 3-0 last night thanks to an own goal and headers from Mark Stafford and Ethan Boyle in their first game since March.
 
looks a promising acquistion ... if terms are agreed of course
 
Great news - he's been on the radar for some time now and was a target for this window so that's one (almost) secured. It also shows that the football supply chain metrics are similar at all levels whereby players can be acquired for a reasonable sum in the bigger club's eyes, hopefully provide some decent service and then sold on at a tidy profit if they are successful - same applies to how a Championship or Prem Club would be thinking about Dickie.
 
Looks to be a very good acquisition once the ink is dry on the deal.

This model works for us. Go scouting in a unfashionable league, pick up cheap, young and emerging talent, develop it further and sell for a profit. I've said it so many times that ticket revenue and owner benevolence are our only sources of revenue outside of player trading, so speculating to accumulate isn't just prudent but entirely necessary.

When we (hopefully) sell him for £2m+ in two years, I'll still expect someone to decry a lack of ambition. Signing and selling players like Joel Cooper is ambition. It shoves money in the coffers, it allows Oxford to keep taking steps forward and - who knows - one or a number of the future deals may just bring in enough to eventually bring in enough cash to push us onto the next level.

A question for maybe an exile over in Norn Iron - we've been happily hunting in the Irish Leagues lately and haven't had a bad player sign for us yet. Are the youth ranks good over there? Has Michael O'Neil's tenure been like that of Gareth Southgate for England where he's wanted to see development from grassroots up to keep populating the youth and senior sides with decent talent? I'm intrigued to know why our attention has been drawn there and why the success rate of young Northern Irish footballers is so high.
 
unification said:
Looks to be a very good acquisition once the ink is dry on the deal.

This model works for us. Go scouting in a unfashionable league, pick up cheap, young and emerging talent, develop it further and sell for a profit. I've said it so many times that ticket revenue and owner benevolence are our only sources of revenue outside of player trading, so speculating to accumulate isn't just prudent but entirely necessary.

When we (hopefully) sell him for £2m+ in two years, I'll still expect someone to decry a lack of ambition. Signing and selling players like Joel Cooper is ambition. It shoves money in the coffers, it allows Oxford to keep taking steps forward and - who knows - one or a number of the future deals may just bring in enough to eventually bring in enough cash to push us onto the next level.

A question for maybe an exile over in Norn Iron - we've been happily hunting in the Irish Leagues lately and haven't had a bad player sign for us yet. Are the youth ranks good over there? Has Michael O'Neil's tenure been like that of Gareth Southgate for England where he's wanted to see development from grassroots up to keep populating the youth and senior sides with decent talent? I'm intrigued to know why our attention has been drawn there and why the success rate of young Northern Irish footballers is so high.
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Indeed. It’s the definition of ‘speculate to accumulate’.

have to trust that when we then sell him on, we’ll negotiate a good deal with add ons etc.
 
unification said:
Looks to be a very good acquisition once the ink is dry on the deal.

This model works for us. Go scouting in a unfashionable league, pick up cheap, young and emerging talent, develop it further and sell for a profit. I've said it so many times that ticket revenue and owner benevolence are our only sources of revenue outside of player trading, so speculating to accumulate isn't just prudent but entirely necessary.

When we (hopefully) sell him for £2m+ in two years, I'll still expect someone to decry a lack of ambition. Signing and selling players like Joel Cooper is ambition. It shoves money in the coffers, it allows Oxford to keep taking steps forward and - who knows - one or a number of the future deals may just bring in enough to eventually bring in enough cash to push us onto the next level.

A question for maybe an exile over in Norn Iron - we've been happily hunting in the Irish Leagues lately and haven't had a bad player sign for us yet. Are the youth ranks good over there? Has Michael O'Neil's tenure been like that of Gareth Southgate for England where he's wanted to see development from grassroots up to keep populating the youth and senior sides with decent talent? I'm intrigued to know why our attention has been drawn there and why the success rate of young Northern Irish footballers is so high.
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Its apparently the same model as Brentford have used in recent years. Their fans must be really pissed off with how its held them back..
 
Can't wait to see him sign - will be keen to prove himself, has pace and can play on the left. The last 2 things we sorely missed this season.

If it happens, welcome to Joel! It's a great time to come to OUFC
 
unification said:
Looks to be a very good acquisition once the ink is dry on the deal.

This model works for us. Go scouting in a unfashionable league, pick up cheap, young and emerging talent, develop it further and sell for a profit. I've said it so many times that ticket revenue and owner benevolence are our only sources of revenue outside of player trading, so speculating to accumulate isn't just prudent but entirely necessary.

When we (hopefully) sell him for £2m+ in two years, I'll still expect someone to decry a lack of ambition. Signing and selling players like Joel Cooper is ambition. It shoves money in the coffers, it allows Oxford to keep taking steps forward and - who knows - one or a number of the future deals may just bring in enough to eventually bring in enough cash to push us onto the next level.

A question for maybe an exile over in Norn Iron - we've been happily hunting in the Irish Leagues lately and haven't had a bad player sign for us yet. Are the youth ranks good over there? Has Michael O'Neil's tenure been like that of Gareth Southgate for England where he's wanted to see development from grassroots up to keep populating the youth and senior sides with decent talent? I'm intrigued to know why our attention has been drawn there and why the success rate of young Northern Irish footballers is so high.
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The standard of the NI League is poor. The NI Premiership is probably about Conference South. The top 2-3 sides (Crusaders, Lingfield) might just about survive in L2. All the better players are known to all the scouts. A lot of NI boys will move to England aged 16-17, and then move back to play in NI. They are generally reluctant to try England again. Gavin Whyte was a late developer,, and was not really rated there until his early 20's. Sykes was always known about and many in NI football were puzzled when we bought Whyte ahead of Sykes. It's a small pool of semi pro/pro players, and they will all talk to each other. They will know that Whyte and Sykes have done well with us and enjoy Oxford. Jimmy Magilton has held various positions with the NI FA since 2013, and he has always spoken well of us. I know that Joel Cooper was one of 3-4 in NI that we were looking at. He's at a good age (24) and he knows both Sykes and Whyte from the NI League. Fitness can be an issue when moving from the NI League to pro football in England, one of the reasons Sykes and Whyte made slow ish starts with us.
 
Northernyellow said:
The standard of the NI League is poor. The NI Premiership is probably about Conference South. The top 2-3 sides (Crusaders, Lingfield) might just about survive in L2. All the better players are known to all the scouts. A lot of NI boys will move to England aged 16-17, and then move back to play in NI. They are generally reluctant to try England again. Gavin Whyte was a late developer,, and was not really rated there until his early 20's. Sykes was always known about and many in NI football were puzzled when we bought Whyte ahead of Sykes. It's a small pool of semi pro/pro players, and they will all talk to each other. They will know that Whyte and Sykes have done well with us and enjoy Oxford. Jimmy Magilton has held various positions with the NI FA since 2013, and he has always spoken well of us. I know that Joel Cooper was one of 3-4 in NI that we were looking at. He's at a good age (24) and he knows both Sykes and Whyte from the NI League. Fitness can be an issue when moving from the NI League to pro football in England, one of the reasons Sykes and Whyte made slow ish starts with us.
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Linfield play at a decent level which includes at European level, not sure who Lingfield play....
 
"Since starting out at Ballyclare Comrades, Cooper has always been viewed as an exciting talent and, while Linfield supporters will be gutted to see him go, they will wish him all the best on what is a brilliant move made possible by his close friend and advisor Bill Peden, plus agents Stephen Whelan and Colin Murdock."

Anyone know if we have worked with these guys before?
 
There’s a lot of talent in Ireland, and I’m happy we keep fishing in these waters.

Looks a real talent, and hopefully he will shine in yellow and blue. Oh and score a hat trick against the scum.
 
Leysboy said:
There’s a lot of talent in Ireland, and I’m happy we keep fishing in these waters.

Looks a real talent, and hopefully he will shine in yellow and blue. Oh and score a hat trick against the scum.
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It was in Northern Ireland ;)
 
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