The Leeds captain missed the last three league games due to a niggling injury, but Luke Ayling made the shift from right-back to centre-back to partner Pascal Struijk at the heart of the side’s defence.
Ayling is likely to be back in his original position when Cooper returns to the line-up against Brighton at Elland Road on Saturday, but the skipper feels it is great to have such competition for places in the squad.
He insisted that Leeds also enjoy the factor that a number of their players are prepared and willing to play in different positions for the sake of the team.
The Leeds captain credited Marcelo Bielsa for instilling the confidence and the know-how in the players to help them excel in multiple positions.
Cooper said on LUTV: “Any competition in any team is brilliant and it pushes you on.
“We have got a great group of lads, an honest group of lads who work hard every single day in training in many different positions.
“We are very lucky in that aspect that we have got players who are willing to step up and do that with confidence.
“And that’s down to the manager and his staff, putting the belief in us and coaching us in different positions.
“The boys have been different class.”
Cooper is one of the first names on the Leeds teamsheet when fit and is expected to play from the start against Brighton.
