It has been 10 years since Mitch Cooper burst onto the scene in one of the most bizarre moments in Isuzu UTE A-League history.
Then, he was a teenager with a Socceroos dream.
Now, a World Cup fantasy still looms, but in a very different setting to what he would have imagined: as a 27-year-old NPL star and Vanuatu international on his way to Qatar looking to help his home nation snag an unlikely spot at the FIFA 2022 World Cup.
“It’s felt like an eternity, but not too long ago,” Cooper told KEEPUP.
“In 2012 I burst onto the scene with Gold Coast United, I guess that’s where my footballing journey to the rest of the world began.”
Watch our special feature on football in Oceania in the video below
It was one of the more infamous debuts: a 17-year-old wearing the captain’s armband when Gold Coast United faced Melbourne Heart in February 2012.
The decision to hand Cooper the captaincy was made by club owner Clive Palmer – not head coach Miron Bleiberg. The latter labelled the decision as a symbolic gesture, and was stood down by CEO Clive Mensink in the fallout. Days later Bleiberg announced his departure from his role as Gold Coast head coach, telling The Herald Sun: “If Clive (Mensink) wanted to hurt me, he succeeded.”
Cooper continued: “It’s been a crazy experience since then, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s taken the craziest turns I would have never expected – but that’s life.
“It’s led me here, to where I am right now, firstly at Hume City FC in Melbourne – what a club – and secondly to represent my country Vanuatu too. What more could I ask for?”
Just weeks into the 2022 NPL VIC Men’s season, Cooper is headed to Doha for up to two weeks of Oceania qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup with the Vanuatu national football team.
Vanuatu are one of eight national teams converging in Doha, Qatar with Oceanian giants New Zealand the favourite to qualify from the mini-tournament, set up as follows:
- Two groups of four
- Three group games each
- Winner of Group A faces runner-up in Group B and vice-versa in two semifinals, before the final fixture on Wednesday, February 30 to decide which nation advances to an inter-confederation play-off.
Cooper says the opportunity to represent his country of birth first presented in 2018, when a determined head coach tracked him down to offer him a chance, which ultimately served as a “refreshing” reminder to the midfielder of the passion for football which exhumes from the island nation.
“I (was) proudly born and raised in Vanuatu until I was eight, then I moved to New Zealand from eight until 13… I’ve definitely known where I’m from, how lucky I’ve been and my travels with football.
“(I came) to Australia with big goals to represent the Socceroos and go down that pathway, but life is a funny thing. One thing led to the next, and that opportunity didn’t work out, or present itself, and Vanuatu did down the line in 2018.
“Paul Munster (former Vanuatu head coach) managed to track down my number and give me a call. It was refreshing to hear someone have ambitions, he was a young coach but a hungry coach – had ambitions for what he wanted to be as a coach, and how he wanted to progress. To come to a country – I think we were ranked 169th at the time – and bring that passion and really want to do better for the people, it just hit home, it felt right.
“I honestly haven’t looked back. Life is so crazy at times, but I’m exactly where I’m meant to be, and exactly the player I’m supposed to be. It’s time, even though I’m young I fully recognise the position I’m in and how much I can give back. That’s what it’s all about for the next generation.”
Vanuatu begin their Oceana qualification schedule against Tahiti on Friday morning (4.00am AEDT), before subsequent group fixtures against Solomon Islands and Cook Islands.
He says Isuzu UTE A-League fans, club directors and talent scouts alike should be tuning in and taking note of the level of talent located on the doorstep of both Australia and New Zealand.
“I’d definitely be having a look to see when it’s football in your own backyard almost, in your own area, just to see what else is happening out there,” Cooper said.
“I think there’s a lot that can be improved in the A-League, a lot more styles, a lot more flavour that can be introduced which we have here … if I was a director of an A-League team I’d be having a watch, for sure.”
Cooper added: “There’s no right or wrong way to play football. Having grown up in a system, I was fortunate enough to see the tactical side of it, but just in terms of playing naturally – expect the unexpected (in Oceania).
“I think that’s an amazing attribute, because it’s playing sport at a high level, being in the present, being in the now. Those boys in the islands can do some crazy things (that) boys over here can’t do.
There’s pros and cons to both sides, but I just love it. I love the expressive nature of the way football is played in the islands.
“I think as a whole, together from up top to the grassroots level (we can) be more inclusive, and really recognise our diversity within Australia, and embracing that as a whole because once you start to do that you start to have people from all walks of life impacting the game. That will just grow it, it will organically grow.
“That’s one thing Australia has been missing: really embracing other styles and cultures.”
Cooper added: “I think it does start from there: from the playgrounds to just being more inclusive with everyone, and getting everyone to join into the game.”
