The management of former Township Rollers midfielder, Mothusi 'Mini' Cooper has refuted allegations that the star is having a torrid time to adapt to life in Morrocco after joining MC Oujda from Jwaneng Galaxy in January and that he is bound to return home.
“He hasn’t had a lot of game time and when he came for international duty we also requested his club that he remains in the country and join the national team for COSAFA tournament. Their league is almost done, two games left and we felt the COSAFA tournament will help him get a much needed kick of the ball; they gave us a go ahead for this to happen,” the player's representative, Bakang Moipone stated.
Cooper put pen to paper with the Botola Pro side, signing a three year deal but he has since struggled to break into the first team of the Moroccan giants.
After turning up for national duty in the recent Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Lybia and Tunisia, the nippy midfielder has not returned back to Morrocco, sparking rumours that he could be set for a return to Botswana or South Africa. Local Champions, Gaborone United have been mentioned as one of the clubs who could be interested in the midfielder with CAF champions league assignments on the horizon.
Cooper was set for a return to Morocco on the 7th of June 2022 after the Tunisia encounter. However, the player has been in the country, and trained with Gaborone United; he is currently with the national team for COSAFA cup tournament, an event that is not on the FIFA calendar of official events. Rated as one of the best midfielders of the current generation locally, Cooper has been a fan favourite at both Extension Gunners and Township Rollers, mainly because of his ‘pit-bull’ demeanor on the pitch. This facet of his game, the tenacity and resolve he displays has seen him linked with clubs such as Mamelodi Sundowns, Supersport United and Sekukune United in South Africa.
In a position that requires strength and endurance, the fomer Lusaka Dynamos man, despite his low center of gravity, has shown attributes that have enabled him to dictate terms in the middle of the park when he is on song.
Asked whether they are considering options to find another club for the player, Moipone stated that the player is still looking to fight for his position at the club, and after a few months of adapting to life in Morrocco, he believes he is in a position to show his true qualities.
“No, we are not looking to find a club for him, not even a loan option; the club has not communicated to us to find other alternatives, remember he signed a three year deal and it is still early days. It’s just rumours that he is coming back, another issue is that they have changed coaches. The new coach still wants to see and assess the player.
There is an Arabic cup in Saudi Arabia in July and the coach will have an opportunity to see the player and I believe a well-informed decision will be made then,” he said. Cooper, has been capped nine times by the Zebras and has experience in the CAF Confederation Cup and Champions League; his performances in the upcoming COSAFA cup could play a telling role as some South African clubs have been closely monitoring his situation.
“He hasn’t had a lot of game time and when he came for international duty we also requested his club that he remains in the country and join the national team for COSAFA tournament. Their league is almost done, two games left and we felt the COSAFA tournament will help him get a much needed kick of the ball; they gave us a go ahead for this to happen,” the player's representative, Bakang Moipone stated.
Cooper put pen to paper with the Botola Pro side, signing a three year deal but he has since struggled to break into the first team of the Moroccan giants.
After turning up for national duty in the recent Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Lybia and Tunisia, the nippy midfielder has not returned back to Morrocco, sparking rumours that he could be set for a return to Botswana or South Africa. Local Champions, Gaborone United have been mentioned as one of the clubs who could be interested in the midfielder with CAF champions league assignments on the horizon.
Cooper was set for a return to Morocco on the 7th of June 2022 after the Tunisia encounter. However, the player has been in the country, and trained with Gaborone United; he is currently with the national team for COSAFA cup tournament, an event that is not on the FIFA calendar of official events. Rated as one of the best midfielders of the current generation locally, Cooper has been a fan favourite at both Extension Gunners and Township Rollers, mainly because of his ‘pit-bull’ demeanor on the pitch. This facet of his game, the tenacity and resolve he displays has seen him linked with clubs such as Mamelodi Sundowns, Supersport United and Sekukune United in South Africa.
In a position that requires strength and endurance, the fomer Lusaka Dynamos man, despite his low center of gravity, has shown attributes that have enabled him to dictate terms in the middle of the park when he is on song.
Asked whether they are considering options to find another club for the player, Moipone stated that the player is still looking to fight for his position at the club, and after a few months of adapting to life in Morrocco, he believes he is in a position to show his true qualities.
“No, we are not looking to find a club for him, not even a loan option; the club has not communicated to us to find other alternatives, remember he signed a three year deal and it is still early days. It’s just rumours that he is coming back, another issue is that they have changed coaches. The new coach still wants to see and assess the player.
There is an Arabic cup in Saudi Arabia in July and the coach will have an opportunity to see the player and I believe a well-informed decision will be made then,” he said. Cooper, has been capped nine times by the Zebras and has experience in the CAF Confederation Cup and Champions League; his performances in the upcoming COSAFA cup could play a telling role as some South African clubs have been closely monitoring his situation.
