Karl Robinson wowed by Liam Cooper after Leeds United moment
Former Leeds United assistant manager Karl Robinson has lifted the lid on Liam Cooper’s leadership ability as the Whites suffered relegation from the Premier League last season.
Robinson joined the management team at Elland Road as part of Sam Allardyce’s coaching staff as the Whites attempted to avoid relegation in the final four matches of the season and while they were unsuccessful in their goal, he noted the role played by Cooper off of the pitch.
The Leeds United captain has been linked with a surprise move to Saudi Arabian club Al Qadsiah ahead of the start of the Championship season, which has seen him receive a lucrative offer to depart Elland Road.
Speaking on TalkSport on Thursday (3 August) via Leeds Live, before news broke of the Saudi interest, Robinson said: “At the end of the game against Tottenham, Liam Cooper’s stood up and everyone was down and a little bit struggling with what’s just happened and he said a few words.
“And I thought to myself, do you know what, there’s a proper man, someone who literally said, ‘If you don’t want to be here next year, don’t come back.’
“I sort of looked at him and you could see there was a steeliness in his eyes that he was so determined to drag Leeds United back to the Premier League.”
Can’t lose the leadership
There has already been so much turnover at Elland Road this summer, with countless players departing on both loan and permanent deals as well as a change in manager and ownership and if the Whites are to lose their captain as well it may be one change to many.
Cooper has been in the Championship and won it with Leeds United and with over 260 appearances in the Whites’ colours, he is the exact sort of character Daniel Farke needs in the dressing room for there to be success at Elland Road again this summer.
The steeliness that Robinson describes isn’t easy to come by and Leeds are very lucky to have a captain as passionate about their club as Cooper and to lose that leader on the eve of a new Championship season would be devastating.
But for Cooper, this may be an offer too enticing to turn down. The 31-year-old has been with the Yorkshire club since 2014, when he signed from Chesterfield and did suffer for consistent minutes last season, only starting 16 Premier League matches.
He may well see this as a chance to begin to wind down his career and earn an excellent wage while doing it.
In other Leeds United news, Dan James views the competition for places as ‘brilliant’ at Elland Road this season