Exclusive:'He's got it all' - Sheffield Wednesday loanee makes exciting Pierce Charles prediction
Sheffield Wednesday loanee Murphy Cooper has been very impressed by what he has seen of Pierce Charles during his time working with him.
Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Murphy Cooper believes teammate Pierce Charles has the potential to reach the very top, admitting “the sky’s his limit”.
The Northern Ireland international has been in excellent form since returning from a second shoulder injury of the season last month, making a catalogue of fine saves across several impressive performances.
Installed as Wednesday’s No.1 for the first time ahead of the start of this season, the 20-year-old, unfortunately, has had two lengthy stints on the sidelines this term because of shoulder issues, restricting him to 19 appearances across all competitions.
After damaging his shoulder in Wednesday’s 2-0 defeat to Brentford in the FA Cup third round in January, the Owls were forced to bring in a third loanee goalkeeper of the season, swooping for QPR shot-stopper Cooper, who arrived until the end of the season after spending the first half of the campaign up the road at Barnsley.
Unfortunately for the 24-year-old he then got injured himself in February, ruling him out for almost two months. He made his return just over a week ago, storing 60 minutes under his belt for the Under-21s in a 2-1 defeat to Cardiff City at Hillsborough.
However, Charles’ return to full fitness means it is going to take something special for Cooper to dislodge him from the starting XI for the final three games of the campaign. But in the eyes of the former Stevenage loanee, Charles has the potential to enjoy a blossoming career, describing him as “probably the best goalkeeper in the Championship.”
“Oh, yes, I think the sky's his limit, really,” Cooper told The Star. “It's crazy because you look at Pierce and the way he plays and the way he trains and the way he carries himself around the building. He's 20.
“In my opinion, he is probably the best goalkeeper in the Championship at 20. A lot of goalies don't play League Two, League One at 20, and he's performing week-in, week-out with really good performances.
“So, yes, with all his strengths and all his capabilities I definitely wouldn't be surprised if he went all the way.”
Charles, of course, is renowned for his ability with the ball at his feet, developing a reputation for his outstanding distribution skills. But as he has demonstrated in recent weeks, he is just as impressive when it comes to his shot-stopping.
Cooper added: “That's one of the things I heard about Pierce because I played with a few lads that play with him internationally and they were like, ‘With the ball at his feet, he is an absolute joke’.
“Obviously, I've seen that now. But some of the saves he makes are just ridiculous as well. So I think he's very well-rounded.
“I know a lot of goalkeepers are good at keeping goal, are not the best with their feet or vice versa, but I think he's got it all.”