[nas] U.S. duo knocking on Man U door

U.S. duo knocking on Man. U door    

 

By IVES GALARCEP

North Jersey Herald News - December 28, 2003

 

MANCHESTER, England - With all the talk of the American doing wonderfully
in goal for Manchester United, it is easy to overlook the fact that Tim
Howard is not alone here. Hidden away from the glare of United's
world-renowned senior team is a pair of young Americans quietly working
toward joining their countryman in the spotlight.

 

For Jonathan Spector and Kenny Cooper, the journey from the United States
to the world's most popular team was not as public as Howard's
well-publicized move here, but amazing nonetheless. Cooper was playing
high school soccer in Dallas just a year ago and Spector was a reserve
struggling with the U.S. Under-17 national team just two years ago.

 

Today, Cooper is one of the leading scorers for Manchester United's
reserve team, notching five goals in his past eight matches while
Spector, a 17-year-old defender, has become the youngest player listed on
Manchester United's official first-team roster.


All it took were the keen eyes of United scouts to change both their
lives. Spector was the first to gain attention in May of 2002. Making his
first start as a defender after being switched from his usual forward
position because of a rash of injuries, Spector shut down the opposing
team's top striker and appeared to have found a new position. When it
turned out that the striker he had shut down was being scouted by United,
Spector also had a new employer.

 

"The odds of that happening are pretty crazy," said Spector, a native of
Arlington Heights, Ill.. "They thought I'd been a defender my whole life
when it was only my second game."

 

Spector tried out with Manchester United in England five months later and
was approached with a contract offer soon after. He signed last May, at
the age of 17, just before a new FIFA rule would be implemented
preventing players younger than 18 from signing professional contracts
outside of their home countries. After some legal wrangling and a hearing
with FIFA this past fall, Spector was finally cleared to play for
United's youth and reserve teams after spending the past three months
only being allowed to train.

 

"Waiting for the chance to play was the hardest part," said Spector.
"Here I am, training with the team, and all I could do is watch. It was
tough, but I knew things would get resolved and now I'm getting the
chance to prove myself on the field."

 

Though two years older at 19, Cooper was even less well known than
Spector. He never did work his way up the U.S. youth national team ranks,
where most of the top American players first become familiar names.
Cooper, was instead groomed for life as a professional by his father,
Kenny Sr., an England native and former Major Indoor Soccer League star
who brought his son across the pond from the age of 15 to train and
experience soccer here during the summer months.

 

"Those experiences definitely helped prepare me, not just with how the
training is here but life as well," said Cooper. "It was always a goal to
play professionally and I felt like that chance would come, maybe not
this fast."

 

Despite having received offers from English clubs in the past, Cooper had
settled on playing college soccer at SMU. After earning Dallas-area
player of the year honors while playing for national power Jesuit, Cooper
embarked on his usual spring and summer soccer with FC Solar when scouts
were enamored with him at last summer's Dallas Cup youth tournament.
That's when Manchester United came calling. He never made it to SMU.

 

He completed a successful trial with United by training with the first
team before it departed for its tour of the United States last summer.
Cooper impressed coaches with his 6-foot-4 frame and finishing ability
and Man. United officials put together a contract offer for a
center-forward few Americans outside of the Dallas area had ever heard
of.

 

"When everything first happened it was a little hard to believe because
this is Manchester United, a club everybody would love to play for," said
Cooper. 

 

It may still be a while before Spector and Cooper join Howard on the
first team and take the field at Old Trafford, but both are making
considerable progress. Cooper has his sights set on making a first-team
appearance before this season ends, a very real possibility if he keeps
his current form going. As for Spector, his youth and inexperience as a
center back have not kept him from impressing in training sessions with
his strength, speed and fearlessness.

 

"They've both settled in and are coming along fine," said Manchester
United manager Alex Ferguson. "They both have that winning attitude you
expect of Americans and they're in the right environment to help them
develop."


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