Oxford boss confirms NI ace Cooper set for Irish League loan
JOEL Cooper is set to return to the Irish League on loan from Oxford United for the remainder of the season.
The Northern Ireland winger had made a swift start to life in England and started four League One matches early in the campaign.
However, he has not featured since two cup appearances in early November and manager Karl Robinson has now confirmed he will return home due to personal issues.
“Joel’s got two issues back home at the moment and finding it very difficult to be over here,” the Oxford boss said. “He’s not in a good place with that.
“He spoke to me on the phone and wants to go back to Ireland until the summer.
“The situations that have arisen won’t be an overnight thing that we’ll be able to click our fingers and make better.
“He will go on loan back there until the summer, while the situation hopefully starts to be solved.
“Hopefully he’ll be in a better place for it when he comes back.”
Cooper, of course, earned his move thanks to two fruitful and successful campaigns with Linfield, where he scored 18 Danske Bank Premiership goals.
Prior to that, he made the step up to top level football by signing for Glenavon from Ballyclare Comrades and quickly became a fan favourite at Mourneview Park.
While there will be no delight at the nature of Cooper’s return, there will nonetheless be a clamour to secure his signature across the league, with Linfield, Glentoran and Larne likely to lead the chase.
“These are all things that have happened since he signed and were completely out of our control,” Robinson added of the 24-year-old’s situation.
“He knows our thoughts are with him.
“He’s a tremendous young man, very brave in the fact he’s taken the risk coming over here and not having his family here.
“His welfare is the most important thing.
“I sometimes sound like the evil dragon that’s constantly shouting fire and anger at people, but there’s also a side of humility and respect for all the people that play for our football club.
“This isn’t football, it’s other things that are going on.”
Cooper earned his first callup to Northern Ireland’s senior squad earlier this year and was on the bench for three Uefa Nations League ties in September and October.