Michael Cooper loving life at Sheffield United after unexpected bonus of Plymouth Argyle transfer switch
Michael Cooper is loving life at Sheffield United after overlooked bonus of move from Plymouth Argyle
As the plane carrying Sheffield United’s squad to the south coast for Saturday’s clash with Portsmouth left the tarmac, Michael Cooper could be forgiven for putting his head back and remembering some of the more arduous journeys he had previously endured during his playing career. Like the one, when at Plymouth in League Two, when they made the 400-or-so mile journey to Carlisle United by coach.
“We went up on the Thursday,” recalled Cooper with a wry smile, “and stayed and trained in Wigan on the Friday before continuing the journey. Then after the game on the Saturday we drove all the way back, for nine or 10 hours on the bus. You just have to try and get through it. And we didn’t get the luxury of flying too often, either!”
Cooper, speaking after keeping his latest clean sheet in United colours at Fratton Park which meant he, and the Blades, did not concede a goal in the entire month of September, was not complaining or being “big time” in the slightest. But another bonus of his move to Bramall Lane from Plymouth earlier in the summer is the location; cut off from the rest of the country down in Devon, Portsmouth - four hours away - would have been seen as a close trip for the Pilgrims.
“The travelling is the biggest thing I don’t miss,” Cooper admitted. “We went to Hull recently and travelled in the morning, which is unbelievable for your legs. Down there the average trip was six hours on the bus, and sometimes six or seven. So you don't get much time to work on things on the morning of the game, because everything's rushed.
“You're on the bus for so long, you’re in hotels and even the way you're sat down for long periods can affect you. You get up on the Saturday and your adrenaline starts pumping for the game, but there's only so much you can do with the freshness in the legs from travelling for so long. It's really tough and we had a lot of Saturday and Tuesday games both away. It’s not a complaint, and the fans do it as well so fair play to them. But I've taken to the club quicker than maybe you'd first think, and I'm absolutely loving it.”
The feeling is mutual, with Unitedites quickly falling in love with a new No.1 who has so far lived up to his billing as one of the best goalkeepers outside of the Premier League. In his first four games he barely had to make a save with the defence in front of him in such good form but when the time came for him to step up, as a wicked free-kick from Portsmouth’s Marlon Pack arrowed towards his top corner on Saturday, he was equal to it with a remarkable reaction save.
“That's more what I expect of myself, to keep the ball out of the net and contribute to the side,” the modest 24-year-old admitted afterwards. “I'd rather not have anything to do but it's nice to contribute a little bit because the defenders have been doing a lot of late. It's a completely different game when you’re under pressure; most games we'd had most of the possession and limited them to a few chances, so you have to make sure you stay in the zone.”