July 28, 2008
FCD TO DECIDE ON COOPER VALUE
Ball in owners court to pay or sell

To go or not to go. To sell or not to sell. To stand pat or crank up their salary offers. These are the essential questions swirling around FC Dallas management and the team’s 23-year-old striker Kenny Cooper.

When will fans find out if favorite son Cooper continues to thrill fans at Pizza Hut Park at least through this current season or is gone like the prairie wind?

The word might come as soon as today, even though the transfer period continues another two weeks.

Cooper deferred from answering the obvious question after his rousing two-goal, one assist performance Sunday against the L.A. Galaxy, except to say he would like to stay on. But he wasn’t denying the possibility of his departure. Instead, he wanted the focus of the day to be on the first victory for new FC Dallas coach Schellas Hyndman.

Cooper’s value continues to rise as the English season is nearly ready to open. The Norwegian season is already underway and Rosenborg has been steadfast in their pursuit of the Dallas forward, reportedly pumping the transfer offer to $3 million. Cardiff City, in the Coca-Cola Championship League, has put on big push, raising its offer to $4 million after his starting role on the MLS All-Star team Thursday.

FC Dallas, which has enjoyed Cooper’s services for $83,000 annually since he came to the team in 2006, has joined the fray, offering to boost his salary to the $300,000-range, plus incentives that could elevate his total to nearly Designated Player Status (DPL), $415,000.00 annually, according to one published report. That has already been rejected by Cooper’s agent, Lyle York.

Another Dallas offer could be forthcoming from the Hunt Sports Group, FC Dallas owner/operator entity. Ultimately, Major League Soccer (MLS) owns the player contracts, but the team owners can add to contract amounts. The players must then sign off on the agreements. It boils down to whether HSG wants to make Cooper the highest paid player on the team and put him into the stratosphere for American players in the MLS. Claudio Reyna, who just retired from the New York Red Bulls, was the highest paid American MLS player at $1,015,000.00 base salary and guaranteed compensation of $1,265,000.00. Galaxy forward Landon Donvan is next at $900,000.00. Cooper doesn’t have the seasoning of a Donovan or Reyna, or the international experience, particularly on the U.S. National Team. But Cooper is not yet into his prime, with a very high upside.

Cooper is not the best soccer player in the MLS—not even the best American player, but is moving up the ladder very quickly. What is his value to FC Dallas? He is the face of the franchise now, but Dallas could embellish that image even more.

What is it worth to show its fans that the team is not ready to abandon the season? He has scored 11 of the team’s 25 goals, three of them game-winners. Dallas is 17-1-6 all-time when Cooper scores a goal. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what happens if he is suddenly gone this season. But his value isn’t just on the field.

He represents what the MLS and FC Dallas want to represent to young players. With Cooper growing up in Dallas, playing for its youth clubs and Jesuit High School, the North Texas soccer community naturally claims ownership.

Cooper is not a likely candidate to be a permanent fixture on the Dallas landscape because his value will only increase. He may like playing at home, but he does have to think of his future since a player’s shelf life is relatively short.

Looking past the emotional issues, Cooper’s value to FC Dallas should be measured in his ability to take the club to the next level in the playoffs. With upcoming player additions and the team looking to jell under Hyndman’s leadership, a playoff cruise on the MLS Ocean of parity is not far-fetched. But Cooper would absolutely be an essential cog for it to take place this season.

It is a gamble. But if Cooper and an improved FCD team could qualify for the playoffs and go on a post-season run, his value to the franchise would far outweigh his cost. HSG has shown it will roll the dice. Dallas put its money on a depleted Brazilian star last season to the tune of $800,000 and the die came up snake-eyes.

With that track record already in place, Cooper looks like a sure-bet.