Cooper has sights on becoming Argyle No.1
HIGHLY-RATED Plymouth Argyle prospect Mike Cooper has set his sights on being the club’s first choice goalkeeper next season.
The 20-year-old has made five starts for the Pilgrims in cup ties but his involvement in league action has been limited to two substitute appearances.
On both occasions he came off the bench as an injury replacement, first for Kyle Letheren and then Matt Macey.
Cooper was the back-up to West Bromwich Albion loan signing Alex Palmer during 2019/20.
Palmer started all 37 of the Pilgrims’ League Two games before the suspension of the season, with Cooper a substitute for each one.
Under contract to Argyle until the summer of 2022, Cooper hopes to take major strides in his career next term.
He revealed his ambitions in a video interview as the first part of the ‘Plymouth College Presents’ series.
Cooper was a student at Plymouth College before starting his apprenticeship at Argyle in 2016.
He was asked about his personal aims for the next 12 months in the interview with Phil Mutlow, the college’s director of sport.
Cooper said: “Definitely, at the start of next season, try and be the starting goalkeeper and get a lot more games under my belt.
“Ultimately, become a better player, gain a lot more match experience in the professional ranks and then, hopefully, kick on from that in the seasons following.”
Mutlow then asked Cooper whether playing for England or in the Premier League were part of his longterm goals.
Cooper replied: “Well, I want to play for England and in the Premier League.
“That’s the ultimate goal, but then you have got to set yourself little goals underneath that to give you the best chance of getting to where you want to.
“For now, it’s just getting more games and more experience and see where it takes me really.
“I have still got loads of time on my hands. I’m just taking it all in my stride really.”
Cooper signed a two-and-a-halfyear contract extension with Argyle last December as manager Ryan Lowe recognised the potential of the promising shot-stopper.
Palmer has also admitted that the competition provided by Cooper contributed to his fine form for the Pilgrims as he knew he had to maintain his high level of performances.
While Cooper has his targets for next season, for now he and everyone else is having to deal with the uncertain times caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Cooper said: “I’m holding up well considering everything that is happening. I’m just ticking over and waiting for everything to get back to normal.
“The first few weeks I was pretty fed up. It got to the business end of the season and then it just got cancelled like that. Football aside, it has been alright.”