The 2010 acquisition of American forward Kenny Cooper from 1860 Munich will not be remembered favourably by Plymouth Argyle because he played just seven games and did not score for the Pilgrims.
Cooper was a prolific goal scorer for FC Dallas in the United States from 2006 to 2009, scoring 40 goals in 90 games before being traded to 1860 Munich.
Despite scoring on his first game for the team, the striker struggled to establish his footing in Germany. Because of this, he was put on the firing line in January 2010.
In an attempt to secure a spot in the squad for the forthcoming World Cup in South Africa, Plymouth, led by Paul Mariner, chose to take a chance on the then-25-year-old striker who was trying to establish himself in England.
Unfortunately, Cooper and Argyle’s plans didn’t work out, and he returned to Germany at the end of the loan period having made seven appearances, scored zero goals, and not being selected for the World Cup.
MLS form was not translated into English football by Kenny Cooper.
The January transfer window would be critical for new manager Mariner to try to lead the team away from the Championship relegation zone following the Pilgrims’ early December management change.
Cooper, a successful MLS forward who had struggled for minutes after moving to Germany the previous summer, was one of these arrivals in the January window.
In an attempt to duplicate the form he displayed abroad and add some vital goals to a squad that appeared headed for relegation, Argyle recruited the American on a loan contract for the remainder of the 2009–10 campaign.
Regretfully, neither Plymouth nor Cooper were satisfied with the outcome. The 25-year-old played seven games for Green, but he didn’t score any goals and couldn’t keep his new team from losing.
When all was said and done, the Devon-based team concluded the season in 23rd position, far from safety, with Argyle behind Crystal Palace in 21st place by eight points.
Although Cooper was a wise acquisition on paper, he was ultimately unable to help Plymouth survive because he was unable to duplicate the form he displayed in his home country of America.
Following an unsuccessful Plymouth move, Cooper went on to achieve success in America.
After his dismal loan stint at Home Park, the attacker returned to 1860 Munich since Argyle had no interest in bringing him back to Devon for their 2010–11 League One campaign.
After a wretched six months in Europe, Cooper had already signed to return to the MLS with the Portland Timbers, and he was headed back to the United States.
He later experienced some success in his own country, regaining his goal-scoring ability, particularly in 2012 when he scored 19 goals in 37 games for the New York Red Bulls.
After stints with FC Dallas, the Seattle Sounders, and the Montreal Impact, Cooper ended his playing career in 2015.
Despite regaining his form after returning to America, the forward would never play for his country again.
He joined Plymouth in the hopes of securing a berth on the US national team. Regarding Argyle, Cooper’s narrative serves as a warning against bringing in players who haven’t been proven in English football when relegation is a real possibility.
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