‘Is he good enough?’: ‘Outstanding’ player urged to consider Liverpool exit

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Premier League legend Robbie Keane believes Caoimhin Kelleher might have to consider his future at Liverpool as long as he remains a back-up to Alisson Becker at Anfield, speaking to the Liverpool Echo.

It’s a strange life, that of a number two goalkeeper.

As you might have noticed, there is only room for one on any given team-sheet. And there is bound to come a point where Kelleher, who turns 24 in November, grows tired of watching Alisson from the bench, waiting for the odd cup cameo and European dead-rubber for his chance to shine.

Should Caoimhin Kelleher stay at Liverpool?

“How long do you hold fire for? That’s his problem,” says Keane, the former Liverpool and Tottenham forward who, like Kelleher, played for the Republic of Ireland at international level.

“Is he good enough to play No.1 for a Premier League team? I definitely think he is from what I’ve seen of him. He looks calm, authoritative and he’s very good with his feet. The problem is you’ve got one of the best goalkeepers in the world in front of you.

“So what do you do? Only he can answer that. There will definitely come a stage in his career, maybe in a few months or in a year, where he will want to go and play regular football.

“I would encourage any player to try and play as many games as you can.”

Kelleher made eight appearances for Liverpool’s first team in 2021/22. Only two of those came in the Premier League, however, and he didn’t even play a minute during the club’s run to the Champions League final.

“We consider Caoimhin as an outstanding goalie,” Klopp said earlier this year, throwing his weight behind a man who has proven himself to be a more-than-reliable presence between the sticks whenever he’s called upon.

“He’s not a good goalie, an outstanding goalie. And we want to keep him here.

“It is all about performing of course. If he didn’t perform on the level he performed when he has played then I would maybe think differently. But he has shown he deserves all the trust and faith that we have in him.”