Mitch Cooper
{{short description|Ni-Vanuatu footballer|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Mitch Cooper
| image =
| fullname = Mitch Steven Baggio Cooper
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1994|09|18|df=y}}
| birth_place = Port Vila, Vanuatu
| height = 1.65 m
| position = Attacking Midfielder
| currentclub = Bayside Argonauts
| clubnumber = 14
| youthyears1 = 2010–2012
| youthclubs1 = Gold Coast United
| youthyears2 = 2011
| youthclubs2 = QAS
| years1 = 2012
| clubs1 = Gold Coast United
| caps1 = 6
| goals1 = 1
| years2 = 2012–2017
| clubs2 = Newcastle Jets
| caps2 = 33
| goals2 = 1
| years3 = 2012
| clubs3 = Newcastle Jets NPL
| caps3 = 5
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2017–2018
| clubs4 = Nunawading City
| caps4 = 27
| goals4 = 18
| years5 = 2018–2019
| clubs5 = Green Gully
| caps5 = 17
| goals5 = 1
| years6 = 2019–2020
| clubs6 = Hume City
| caps6 = 23
| goals6 = 6
| years7 = 2020
| clubs7 = Sunshine Coast Wanderers
| caps7 = 15
| goals7 = 4
| years8 = 2021–2023
| clubs8 = Hume City
| caps8 = 47
| goals8 = 6
| years9 = 2023–
| clubs9 = Bayside Argonauts
| caps9 = 32
| goals9 = 31
| nationalyears1 = 2011
| nationalteam1 = Australia U-17
| nationalcaps1 = 4
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2012
| nationalteam2 = Australia U-20
| nationalcaps2 = 7
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| nationalyears3 = 2019–
| nationalteam3 = Vanuatu
| nationalcaps3 = 10
| nationalgoals3 = 6
| club-update = 7 September 2024
| ntupdate = 12 October 2024
}}
Mitch Steven Baggio Cooper (born 18 September 1994) is a Ni-Vanuatu footballer who plays for Bayside Argonauts in the Victorian State League Division 2 South-East.
Early life
Cooper was born in Port Vila, Vanuatu, and lived there until age eight, attending the Port Vila International School. He then lived in New Zealand for five years before moving to Australia.{{Cite news |last=Gardiner |first=James |date=12 March 2015 |title=Jet's heart goes out to homeland |work=The Newcastle Herald |url=https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/2951709/jets-heart-goes-out-to-homeland/ |access-date=30 September 2016}}
Club career
=Gold Coast United=
Cooper was called up to the senior squad of A-League club Gold Coast United in February 2012, aged seventeen. With regular captain Michael Thwaite suspended, club owner Clive Palmer named Cooper captain for the match against Melbourne Heart as a sign of the club's commitment to promoting young players.{{Cite news |last=Hand |first=Guy |date=15 February 2012 |title=Gold Coast United name teenage first-gamer Mitch Cooper as stand-in captain at request of their owner |work=Fox Sports |url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/a-league/gold-coast-united-name-teenage-first-gamer-mitch-cooper-as-stand-in-captain-at-request-of-their-owner/story-e6frf4gl-1226271994148 |access-date=30 September 2016}} Coach Miron Bleiberg subsequently described the move as a symbolic one, claiming that more experienced players would effectively lead the side on the field.{{Cite news |last=Hand |first=Guy |date=14 February 2012 |title=Teen to captain Gold Coast United on debut |work=ESPN FC |url=http://www.espnfc.com/story/1022231/teen-to-captain-gold-coast-utd-on-debut |access-date=30 September 2016}} Palmer suspended Bleiberg from his role as a result of those comments, replacing him with assistant coach Mike Mulvey for the Heart match.{{Cite news |last=Clark |first=Laine |date=15 February 2012 |title=Gold Coast suspend A-League coach |work=ESPN FC |url=http://www.espnfc.com/story/1022596/gold-coast-suspend-a-league-coach |access-date=30 September 2016}} Gold Coast lost the game 1–0 to a late goal from Eli Babalj.{{Cite news |date=17 February 2012 |title=Heart pinch 1–0 win over Gold Coast |work=ABC News |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-17/heart-punish-gold-coast-kids/3837424 |access-date=30 September 2016}} Bleiberg quit the club days later, saying that Palmer's actions had hurt his dignity.{{Cite news |last=Monteverde |first=Marco |date=19 February 2012 |title=Gold Coast United coach Miron Bleiberg quits in wake of Clive Palmer A-League scandal |work=Fox Sports |url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/a-league/gold-coast-united-coach-miron-bleiberg-quits-in-wake-of-clive-palmer-a-league-scandal/story-e6frf4gl-1226275190371 |access-date=30 September 2016}}
In Gold Coast's next game, Cooper scored his first goal for the club, the side's third in a 3–3 draw with Central Coast Mariners.{{Cite news |date=23 February 2012 |title=Gold Coast flirt with thrilling Mariners upset |work=ABC News |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-02-22/gold-coast-close-to-upset-in-thriller/3846344 |access-date=30 September 2016}} He described this as a "dream" start, saying that he had previously been focused on the National Youth League and that he had tried to ignore the controversy surrounding his debut captaincy.{{Cite news |date=24 February 2012 |title=Cooper quickly making his mark |work=Sunshine Coast Daily |url=http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/cooper-quickly-making-his-mark-youngest-skipper-lo/1283447/ |access-date=30 September 2016}} Gold Coast United lost its A-League operating licence the following week.{{Cite news |date=29 February 2012 |title=Gold Coast United stripped of A-League licence |work=Radio Australia |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |url=http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/2012-02-29/415170 |access-date=30 September 2016}} The loss of the license caused the FFA to scramble for a replacement team, resulting in the creation of the Western Sydney Wanderers FC.
=Newcastle Jets=
On 25 May 2012, Cooper signed a two-year contract with the Newcastle Jets.{{Cite news |date=25 May 2012 |title=Veteran Michael Bridges pens new Newcastle Jets deal as club also confirms Mitch Cooper signing |work=Fox Sports |url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/a-league/veteran-michael-bridges-pens-new-newcastle-jets-deal-as-club-also-confirms-mitch-cooper-signing/story-e6frf4gl-1226366857734 |access-date=30 September 2016}} He cited his respect for Jets coach Gary van Egmond, who he knew from his time in the Australia U-17s as a significant factor in this choice.{{Cite news |date=26 May 2012 |title=Van is Mitch's man |work=Sunshine Coast Daily |url=http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/van-is-mitchs-man/1394935/ |access-date=30 September 2016}} Cooper suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury to his right knee in the Jets' final game of the 2012–13 season, ruling him out for several months.{{Cite news |date=17 May 2013 |title=Grounded Jet Cooper might move |work=Sunshine Coast Daily |url=http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/grounded-jet-might-move/1871494/ |access-date=30 September 2016}} He signed a one-year extension with the Jets in June 2013.{{Cite news |date=27 June 2013 |title=Video: Mitch Cooper talks contract extension |publisher=Newcastle Jets FC |url=http://www.newcastlejets.com.au/video/mitch-cooper-talks-contract-extension/760484 |access-date=30 September 2016}} Soon after returning to the field, he suffered a second ACL injury, this time to his left knee in a National Youth League game against Western Sydney Wanderers in January 2014.{{Cite news |date=7 January 2014 |title=Mitch Cooper out for the season |work=The Newcastle Herald |url=https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/2009817/mitch-cooper-out-for-the-season/}} He returned to play in the Jets squad in December 2014.{{Cite news |last=Toohey |first=Barry |date=5 December 2014 |title=Mitch Cooper rebuilt after two serious knee injuries and looking to kick on with Newcastle Jets |work=The Daily Telegraph |url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/football/mitch-cooper-rebuilt-after-two-serious-knee-injuries-and-looking-to-kick-on-with-newcastle-jets/news-story/7ee612cf870b524059453fe0d50e07e5}}
In March 2015, Cooper signed a further two-year deal with the Jets.{{Cite news |last=Toohey |first=Barry |date=26 March 2015 |title=Newcastle Jets re-sign midfielder Mitch Cooper on two-year deal |work=The Advertiser |url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/football/a-league/newcastle-jets-resign-midfielder-mitch-cooper-on-twoyear-deal/news-story/843dcce73fb0332cc9c0653f3427ac33 |access-date=30 September 2016}} He scored his first goal for the club on 12 February 2016 with a header in a draw with Brisbane Roar.{{Cite news |last=Rugari |first=Vince |date=12 February 2016 |title=Brisbane Roar salvage 2–2 A-League draw against Newcastle Jets, return to top of table |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |url=http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/soccer-match-report/brisbane-roar-salvage-22-aleague-draw-against-newcastle-jets-return-to-top-of-table-20160212-gmt4kv.html |access-date=30 September 2016}}
Cooper was one of three senior players omitted from the Jets squad for a pre-season tour of China in August 2016, with coach Scott Miller talking of moving some players out of the club.{{Cite news |last=Parris |first=Michael |date=23 August 2016 |title=Fringe Jets miss China tour |work=The Newcastle Herald |url=https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/4114512/fringe-jets-miss-china-tour-i-photos-poll/ |access-date=30 September 2016}} However, Miller himself was fired in the next month, which Jets CEO Lawrie McKinna described as giving the players a fresh chance with a new coach.{{Cite news |last=Parris |first=Michael |date=15 September 2016 |title=McKinna under pressure to choose new coach |work=The Newcastle Herald |url=https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/4166632/mckinna-under-pressure-to-choose-new-coach/ |access-date=30 September 2016}}
=Nunawading City=
Cooper signed for NPL Victoria 2 side Nunawading City for the 2017 season. Mitch scored his first goal for Nunawading against the Goulburn Valley Suns in Round 2 of the NPL2 East season; before scoring a header in a 5–2 win over Richmond SC.
Throughout the remainder of the season, Cooper scored 18 leagues goals (with 3 in the cup) totalling in 21 goals for the season, he'd be in the top 10 players for the Victorian NPL2 gold medal awards alongside former Newcastle Jets & Gold Coast United team-mate James Brown. He'd score 3 hat-tricks against the Casey Comets, Bendigo City & Melbourne City Youth.
International career
Cooper has represented the Australia national under-17 association football team including four matches at the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup.[https://web.archive.org/web/20110629074641/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=336206/index.html FIFA playing record] In March 2019, he was called up for Vanuatu national football team for the first time.{{Cite web |last=Temar |first=Matt |date=13 March 2019 |title=Munster announces first squad |url=http://www.vff.vu/munster-announces-first-squad |publisher=Vanuatu Football Federation}}
Career statistics
=Club=
{{updated|28 April 2017}}{{Cite web |title=Mitch Cooper |url=http://aleaguestats.com/ALeagueStats_25Players_666.html |access-date=30 September 2016 |website=ALeagueStats.com}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|Cup !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan="1" valign="center"|Gold Coast United
|6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | |
| Newcastle Jets Youth
|Northern NSW State Football League |5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| rowspan=6|Newcastle Jets
|rowspan=5|A-League |5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2013–14
|0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2014–15
|16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | |
| 2015–16
|12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 1 | |
| 2016–17
|0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| colspan=2|Newcastle Jets total | 33 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 1 |
| Nunawading City
|2017 |National Premier Leagues Victoria 2 |23 | 18 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 21 | |
| colspan=3|Total | 66 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 68 | 23 |
=International goals=
:Scores and results list Vanuatu's goal tally first.{{NFT player|id=74647|accessdate=18 July 2019}}
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%;"
! No. !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition | ||||||
| 1. | 15 July 2019 | rowspan=5 | National Soccer Stadium, Apia, Samoa | {{fb|TON}} | align=center | 5–0 | align=center | 14–0 | rowspan=5 | 2019 Pacific Games |
| 2. | rowspan="4" | 18 July 2019 | rowspan="4" | {{fb|SAM}} | align=center | 1–0 | rowspan="4" style="text-align:center"| 11–0 | ||
| 3. | align=center | 2–0 | |||||
| 4. | align=center | 3–0 | |||||
| 5. | align=center | 4–0 | |||||
| 6. | 12 October 2024 | Freshwater Stadium, Port Vila, Vanuatu | {{fb|SAM}} | align=center | 1–0 | align=center | 4–1 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{soccerway|mitch-cooper/193350}}
- {{FIFA player|336206}}
- {{NFT player|74647}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cooper, Mitch}}
Category:People from Port Vila
Category:Vanuatuan men's footballers
Category:Vanuatu men's international footballers
Category:Australian men's soccer players
Category:Australia men's youth international soccer players
Category:Australia men's under-20 international soccer players
Category:Newcastle Jets FC players
Category:Gold Coast United FC players
Category:Men's association football midfielders