GOLD Coast United’s dedication to promoting young Australian players will continue this Friday night with two more youngsters set to make their senior debuts against Melbourne Heart at AAMI Park.
Midfielder Jake Barker-Daish (pictured left), who was recruited from the AIS at the end of last season, will be joined in this week’s Hyundai A-League squad by one of the club’s brightest young talents, Australian U17 international Mitch Cooper (pictured right).
With skipper Michael Thwaite suspended for the Heart clash, and to highlight United’s commitment to creating a career path to professional football for its youngsters, Cooper will wear the captain’s armband to mark his full debut for the club.
Long regarded as star of the future, Cooper’s progress has continued in United’s National Youth League side this season where the attacking weapon has notched six goals to date.
He will become the youngest player to be granted the honour, epitomising what United have achieved in youth development in less than three years in the competition. On the day of the game he will be 17 years and 152 days old.
“Mitch has been developing nicely and has been patiently waiting for his chance,” said Head Coach Miron Bleiberg.
“Giving him the armband symbolises some of the positives from this season in that young players have taken a step forward and it’s a nice gesture from Clive Palmer and the club to make him captain for the day.
“No one can deny that we are bringing good young players through here and whatever Mitch goes on to do in his career he will have a nice record and memory of his debut. This record might still stand even when he’s a grandfather!
“Mitch is an intelligent guy on and off the field and off course he will have a senior player like Kristian Rees nearby on the day, so there’s no pressure on him.
“Because we will have a young side out there both Mitch and Jake will be around players who they are familiar with and have played with many times.”
Gold Coast United Chairman, Mr Clive Palmer, said he was delighted that Cooper was about to play his maiden Hyundai A-League match.
“Mitch is a great young player and deserves his chance,” Mr Palmer said.
He continued: “We want to promote our young players and give them opportunities. Mitch Cooper is the latest addition to a long list of players who have broken through to the senior side this season and we wish him well on Friday evening.”
Cooper won a National Youth League title with Gold Coast last season and was a key member of the Qantas Joeys side who competed in the 2011 FIFA U17 World Cup Finals in Mexico. In the tournament a fine performance against Brazil saw him receive the praise of his peers, picking up the man-of-the-match award for his all action display.
The young forward said he had been waiting for his Hyundai A-League debut for a long time and can’t wait to get out onto the field.
“When Miron told me I would wear the armband it was the biggest surprise I’ve ever had, but I’m very excited about playing my first Hyundai A-League game and I’ll just be concentrating on playing football,” Cooper said.
“I want to do the best I can and enjoy the experience. It will be a young team and we all want to do the Gold Coast proud and try to get a good result for the club.”
With Gold Coast having a string of senior players sidelined through injury, they are poised to field what could potentially be the youngest match day squad ever seen in the competition. Players who could be named in this week’s squad include:
Jerrad Tyson (22yrs), Daniel Bowles (20yrs), Zac Anderson (20yrs), Adama Traore (22yrs), Josh Brillante (18yrs), Jake Barker-Daish (18yrs), Mitch Cooper (17yrs), Ben Halloran (19yrs), Golgol Mebrahtu (21yrs), Chris Harold (19yrs), Daniel Bragg (19yrs), Mitch Bevan (20yrs) and Brendan White (19yrs).