A hamstring injury last season gave Leeds United captain Liam Cooper a chance to connect personally with one of the English Premier League club’s Australian icons.
When Cooper was watching matches from the stands at Elland Road he met Socceroos great Mark Viduka, https://lambangchungchihcm.com/lam-chung-chi-tieng-anh-ngoai-ngu-anh-van/ who is classed as a legend by the Yorkshire club’s fans after a four-year spell where he scored 72 goals in 166 appearances.
Viduka and fellow Socceroo Harry Kewell made Leeds a favourite for so many in Australia with their exploits for the club in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
That support remains strong despite the club spending 16 years in England’s lower divisions after Kewell and Viduka had both left the club before a top-flight return in 2020.
Cooper, who is in Queensland as part of a pre-season tour with the club, says it’s impressive to see the level of support they have so far from their home.
“I ruptured my hamstring, spent a lot of time watching the games from the stand and obviously Viduka was invited a lot,” Cooper told AAP.
“I met him and his missus and his kids a few times.
“You’re always aware of that connection, but it’s plain to see when you come out here.
“I was fortunate to come out here a couple of years ago on the last tour and you really get a feel for the following we’ve got.
“It’s a shame all those fans are on the other side of the world because I’m sure they’d be there if they could during the season.
“We’re definitely aware of the connections and it just shows how far our horizons stretch.”
Cooper didn’t play in Thursday’s match against A-League Men’s team Brisbane Roar on the Gold Coast but took a keen interest in the match given his friendship with Roar midfielder Jay O’Shea.
The pair played together in England at Chesterfield, giving Cooper another enduring memory from his time in Queensland.
“I was absolutely gutted not to play against him,” he said.
“The first night I got here actually Jay popped out and saw me … I’ve not seen him for a long time since he came out here.
“I thought he played very well last night.”
Leeds’ tour of Australia wraps up on Sunday against fellow EPL team Aston Villa in Brisbane before the Roar take on Villa in Townsville next Wednesday.
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