Schuey backs Cooper to go all the way to the top
Manager has nothing but praise for his ‘keeper after six clean sheets in seven games
PLYMOUTH Argyle goalkeeper Mike Cooper is improving all the time and can go all the way to the top, according to manager Steven Schumacher.
The 22-year-old has always been highly rated at Home Park but has taken huge strides forward this season.
Cooper has played every minute of all 41 League One fixtures and kept 16 clean sheets, including seven in the last eight games. Even when he has not been that busy in matches, Cooper has still been able to produce important saves.
The Pilgrims’ 1-0 win against playoff rivals Oxford United at a packed Home Park on Saturday was a perfect case in point.
Oxford only had two shots on target all game and they came in the early stages when the visitors were on top.
Cooper made fantastic stops from both of them, particularly the first opportunity when Gavin Whyte was through and seemed certain to score only for his low close range shot to be kicked away by the Argyle ‘keeper.
Schumacher said: “That save was right up there, almost world class. If a Premier League goalkeeper makes that save everyone goes ‘Wow, how good is that’.
“The lad (Whyte) has done everything right. He has hit it well, he has struck it clean, it’s going in the corner and Mike has got his foot out and stopped it.
“That’s how important he is to us. He’s top class but, again, that’s what goalkeepers have to do.”
Schumacher pointed to Liverpool’s 2-0 win against Watford in the Premier League on Saturday lunchtime as another example of that.
He said: “Liverpool kept a clean sheet but Watford had the best chance of the game and should have scored. Alison makes a big save and 30 seconds later go down the other end and Jota scores - it’s what happens.
“You need your goalkeeper, you need your back three, you need everybody in the team to contribute in their roles and responsibilities, and everyone in our team at the moment is doing that.”
Cooper, who is under contract to Argyle until June 2024, has started 87 successive league games since the beginning of the 2020/21 season.
He has been voted by Plymouth Live readers as their Argyle playerof-the-month for February and March.
Cooper also earned national plaudits after his terrific display in the FA Cup fourth round tie against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, since when the Pilgrims have won 10 out of 13 league games.
Schumacher said: “He’s improving every week. His distribution is getting better, his decision making is getting better and that comes with age, experience and confidence.
“He has just got to have that belief in himself that he can go all the way to the top if he continues to work as hard as he does.
“I know Darren (Behcet, Argyle’s goalkeeping coach) is so impressed with how he trains. If he keeps doing that then he can go and be a top, top goalie.”
Oxford boss Karl Robinson had plenty of praise for Cooper after his side’s defeat at Home Park, which came after a superb 56th minute goal from Joe Edwards.
Robinson said: “Their keeper is the best in the league. We knew how good he is and it is all part of just accepting he is a good goalkeeper.
“He doesn’t just make good saves, he starts a lot of their good play, he picks the right option more often than not whether it is a quick play or slowing the game down.
“He does certain things that allow him to be a good player. I like him,” added the U’s boss.