Cooper caps special season at Gala

FRISCO, Texas -- Kenny Cooper was one of the few bright spots for FC Dallas in 2008. After finishing second in the league with 18 goals, Cooper was honored at the Gala Awards Dinner the night before MLS Cup 2008 with two honors, as he was named the 2008 MLS Comeback Player of the Year and also named to the league's Best XI.

"I was surprised and obviously feel honored," the Dallas native said. "It was a very exciting week."

The awards were indeed a nice way to cap off a week where Cooper started for the U.S. national team in a World Cup qualifier against Guatemala at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Colorado, where he netted the game winner in a 2-0 win for the Stars and Stripes.

"It was definitely a special week," he said. "To be invited out to the national team camp, to get the opportunity to start the game and to be part of the win to finish that round of qualifying, it was good to be a part of. To go out to LA and to the Gala to receive those two awards was a great way to finish off the MLS season. I would rather be playing in the final but it was nice to go out there to receive those awards."

Cooper received the comeback award after missing much of the 2007 season with a broken right tibia. After a strong recovery program, he returned late in '07 but clearly wasn't at 100 percent. Any questions about lingering effects were quickly quashed in 2008, when Cooper started the year with four goals in his first four games.

Despite his success last year, he admitted it was a little disappointing being at MLS Cup as a mere spectator.

"Obviously you want to be in the final and would want to be out there playing in it as opposed to being in the stands watching it," Cooper said. "But at the same time, being there and seeing the two teams that made it is a great learning experience. It was a great game. I enjoyed watching it."

Following his solid performance last week on the international stage, rumors once again surfaced, as they did at last July's MLS All-Star Game, that Cooper leaving for Europe was virtually a done deal. Cooper downplayed that speculation.

"I'm contracted with FC Dallas for two more years," Cooper said. "That's where my focus lies right now for the offseason. Just looking at things on a day-to-day basis, I want to use the offseason to improve and come back a better player in preseason for FC Dallas."

Cooper admits that he won't be taking much time off and will go full bore into preparing for 2009.

"Training, going to the gym and all that is stuff I enjoy," he said. "I know I can't play forever. Offseason is a time that I look at as an opportunity to get better. That's how I approached it heading into last season. I felt great coming into last year's preseason. It's a good amount of time to kind of take a look at yourself, figure out ways that you can improve and to improve yourself. I'm really looking forward to doing that."

His strike partner for the last part of the season with FCD, Jeff Cunningham, is currently out of contract. That's something Cooper would like to see change.

"Of course, I would love to see him come back," he said. "He was obviously a great addition to our team. He came in and made an immediate impact by scoring goals. He gelled well with the team and everybody enjoyed having him here. He was a great addition to the squad this year and hopefully he will be around again next year."

One thing Cooper does see in the offseason is a great deal of extra focus by the entire FCD roster to return to the playoffs next fall.

"It's a hungry group," Cooper said. "We're all disappointed to not make the playoffs. I'm sure we'll all be focused to change that. We will come together and that (winning an MLS Cup) will be the goal for next year."

While some players decompress by not watching much soccer during the offseason, Cooper takes the opposite approach.

"I'm such a huge soccer nerd," he said. "I can't get enough of the game. When I'm not playing it, I'm talking about it or watching it. It's such a huge part of my family and always has been. Growing up, my father was a coach. As a family, we don't ever really shut off from the game. But that's OK because it's a passion for all of us. That's the way I like it."