By Paul Jones
Ollie Cooper is counting down the days to seeing his father Kevin again – and hopes to make it a bad day for his old man’s former club.
Cooper scored Swansea City’s first goal in their 2-1 win at home to Sunderland at the weekend, a result which reinforced the Swans’ growing ascendancy as promotion candidates as well as the 22-year-old midfielder’s rapid personal progress as a vital cog in the white machine.
It was a first league goal for the club and afterwards dad Kevin was soon on the phone from Malaysia to hear all about it.
Former Cardiff City player Kevin, 47, is coaching Armed Forces FC in the Malaysian Premier League, but is planning a trip home to see his son take on his old club on October 23.
“He normally calls me straight after each game,” revealed Cooper junior about his old man who also coached Cardiff U21s.
“He is loving my progress. He just wants to get over and watch some games. Hopefully, he can get here for the Cardiff game. We’ll see who he supports.”
Cymru forward Ollie Cooper on the scoresheet for Swansea 🏴 pic.twitter.com/lhnsHCGNCy
— Red Wall News (Q) 🏴 (@RedWallNews1) October 8, 2022
There’s much to help swell Cooper senior’s heart with pride at present as his son has been one of the Swans’ stand-out performers in a run of four successive victories.
The surge has put them into the play-offs and only three points off top spot, while making Wales U21 cap Ollie a contender for Robert Page’s senior Wales squad for the World Cup.
The Swans – impressively improved in recent weeks by head coach Russell Martin – won with winners right at the death against West Brom and Watford, then showed against Sunderland they can keep their own door shut late on, too.
“We haven’t conceded late in a while, but we are scoring late which is massive,” added Cooper, whose goal was improved by Harry Darling to give them a 2-0 half-time lead.
“We have a real desire to defend the box and we’ve also added set piece threats to our game.
“We have started to know how to win games in the closing minutes. We have played games before where we should have won, but the end was not managed properly.”
Cooper has made 10 appearances so far this season and says: “I wouldn’t say I feel comfortable at this level yet.
OLLIE COOPER grabbing Swansea’s opener yesterday afternoon! ⚽️🏴 pic.twitter.com/GtCDxWwUoB
— Wales Watch 🏴⚽️ WC (Q) (@wales_watch) October 9, 2022
“Every game is a different test. West Brom was a very physical battle. This game was not as physical but a lot more energetic. It’s working out who you are playing against and trying to adapt to that team. I have to see how I can effect the next game.”
Cooper reckons the one of the last times he enjoyed four wins on the bounce with a team was when he was turning out for Pencoed U9s.
“They were history-makers. I think we won double figures on the bounce.”
More recently, he topped up his experience with another local team – Newport County, where he played in another side that won four successive matches in League Two in January of this year, during a successful loan spell of 36 matches.
“I had a very good season at Newport last season. It was instrumental in my development and getting me ready to hit the ground running when I came back this season.
The gaffer (Russell Martin) was great in terms of coming to watch my games last season. He truly believes in me and to know that he truly believes in me is a great feeling. It gives me the confidence when I go out on the pitch.
“I played a lot of games at Newport and it wasn’t just the games, it was the fact they were Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday.
“It was just a step up from U23s level and it was what I needed – going out and playing against men.
“These were games where it wasn’t about just developing. It was all about winning or losing in League Two.
“To get that experience is massive for anyone’s development.”
Sunderland got themselves back in the game with a sparkling individual goal from 21-year-old Jack Clarke, but failed to break down the Swans in the final half hour.
It was a first defeat in four games for the Black Cats, but they remain only four points off the play-off places and their response to going 2-0 down should provide encouragement.
Clarke, who showed glimpses of the form that once made Spurs pay Leeds United £8.5m for him as a teenager, reckons his team can bounce back quickly.
Forced into a more central role due to injuries, winger Clarke thinks Sunderland should find the bright spots in their performance.
“We gave a team a two-goal head start and so we had to play catch-up and you can’t do that in this league,” said Clarke.
“But we’re a good, good team in this league, and we’re starting to get respected by other teams.”