Caoimhín Kelleher GK Brentford b.1998

[ontheotherhand]

Clearly there on merit and you have a point about development. Has also no doubt benefitted from training with Allison and good coaches. I’d like to see Kenny rotate the goalies in the NL and friendlies, so they both or all get experience. My Liverpool affiliations may make me biased, and I do recognise Bazunu’s ability and potential, but Kelleher radiates calm and assurance. Two LFC fans I know suggested that he actually looks more secure than Allison, and that spreads to the rest of the defence. He won’t displace him because of the money Liverpool paid for Allison, and that’s his biggest problem. He knows he’ll have to move on at some point, but at the minute he’s not doing his reputation any harm and that will help him get a move to a higher level. At this moment in time, I would suggest that a promoted PL club or even mid table club, would take a chance on Kelleher rather than Bazunu irrespective of how many games the latter has played in League 1 and for us.
All fair though I'd say he will displace Alisson if Klopp thinks he's a better keeper. They could easily get back half of what they spent on Alisson at his age and keep Kelleher on a lower wage for a few years instead of selling him to free up funds.

I agree with your last point. He's 23 and has shown he can handle EPL games so I'd be surprised if there haven't been a few approaches whereas I think Bazunu's next logical step is the Championship...possibly with Newcastle!

The development piece is genuinely interesting. Maybe he is just 4 years behind Bazunu even though he is 4 years older. So we could say they are both 19 in terms of GK age. In that case being #2 at Liverpool is great going BUT we are still left questioning whether he is ready for a full senior season AND he is still left without the body of work he could have had which might have secured the #1 jersey for Ireland. So if he was 19 in the same position I'd probably still think he should go on loan somewhere. You'd also have to then say that in reality Bazunu has a full 4 years of development on Kelleher and might be far better by the time the next WC rolls around and he is Kelleher's age now by which time Kelleher may still be warming the bench at 27....I'd guess not though.

Will be gas when Travers is GK of the year in the EPL next season and Bazunu and Kelleher are in the Championship or on the bench somewhere. We can all reflect back on time well and truly wasted on this thread at that point.

[sadloserkid]

All fair though I'd say he will displace Alisson if Klopp thinks he's a better keeper.

A really good, considered post OTOH but this opening line seems to be stating the obvious. I mean you and I displace Salah and VVD if Klopp thought we were better players too. And given the ease with which Klopp leaves Kelleher on the bench for dead rubber CL games and in League Cup semis to keep Allison match fit I don't think Kelleher is anywhere close to the number one shirt in Klopp's eyes. Of course he says nice things when he's asked in public but that's management 101. Kelleher has definitely earned his spot as Liverpool number 2 at the moment and in the Ireland squad and that's solid progress on 18 months ago. Where it leads to from here is still to be speculated upon. He could be the next Stuart Taylor or the next Allison.

[mypost]

Bazunu has high level distribution. I like Kelleher and his distribution is high level too — but he’s also botched it by trying to be too cute. Both keepers are high level in many ways but have growing pains. I tend to give Bazunu the edge as he’s younger, getting way more first time minutes, and I think there’s more room to grow.

I'm sure Ipswich will agree on how high his distribution is - to them. That's not "an inability to perceive reality", that is an indisputable fact. That's what our No. 1 is capable of against pub standard players, but apparantly it's good enough to play for us, against the best the rest of Europe can offer.

Kelleher has no issues with his distribution, none whatsoever. His main issue is his lack of game time. That didn't do Randolph much harm up until last year, and we managed.


You wonder why Kelleher never went out on loan actually. Is it just that he got kind of fast-tracked into the Liverpool first-team setup when they had the goalkeeping issues with Karius and Adrian? I do get the feeling when he was originally promoted to the bench, it was because there was no-one else and conceding ten goals in his first two games may show he wasn't up to it, but the Chelsea game in particular would suggest he's there on merit now.

Or was there an element that at, say, 19 he was behind in development but has caught up since?

He was No. 3 at Liverpool in 2019. So he got the best of both worlds. He could play the League Cup rounds, sit on the bench for the senior team occasionally, and still play for the PL2 team every week. He didn't need to go on loan anywhere. As No. 2, he's now very much a valued member of the matchday squad.

Karius career at Liverpool was over after his experiences in Kiev. He's been told that, but he won't go until his contract expires. He got one pre season friendly this season, for half an hour, and still he conceded. He's not a factor in any goalkeeping discussions at Liverpool these days.

[pineapple stu]

You realise that while you continually refer to League One as "pub standard", "awful" or similar, that it's very hard to take anything you say at all seriously?

[mypost]

That's because it is that standard. It's so bad that the teams in it spend their whole existence trying to get out and stay out of it, even prepared to go broke if necessary. International football is a world away from L1 level.

[pineapple stu]

No, it's not. I don't know what pubs you do be drinking in.

Teams everywhere try to get out of the division they're in. Even the top clubs in the world are trying to get out of the Premier League, La Liga, etc.

I'll chalk that down as another profoundly ignorant mypost post

[ontheotherhand]

A really good, considered post OTOH but this opening line seems to be stating the obvious. I mean you and I displace Salah and VVD if Klopp thought we were better players too. And given the ease with which Klopp leaves Kelleher on the bench for dead rubber CL games and in League Cup semis to keep Allison match fit I don't think Kelleher is anywhere close to the number one shirt in Klopp's eyes. Of course he says nice things when he's asked in public but that's management 101. Kelleher has definitely earned his spot as Liverpool number 2 at the moment and in the Ireland squad and that's solid progress on 18 months ago. Where it leads to from here is still to be speculated upon. He could be the next Stuart Taylor or the next Allison.

I was just responding to third policeman there who had said that Klopp won't play Kelleher due to the money paid for Alisson - "LFC fans I know suggested that he actually looks more secure than Allison, and that spreads to the rest of the defence. He won’t displace him because of the money Liverpool paid for Allison, and that’s his biggest problem."

[Charlie Darwin]

No wonder teams go bust trying to get out of League One. There's no direct bus to the Championship.

[pineapple stu]

It's a little-known fact that what makes the Championship such a strong league is that no-one is trying to get promoted out of it.

[mypost]

No, it's not. I don't know what pubs you do be drinking in.

Teams everywhere try to get out of the division they're in. Even the top clubs in the world are trying to get out of the Premier League, La Liga, etc.

Another wrong post. They're not wanting to get out of those leagues.

[JR89]

Mypost has to post over on YBIG as a user called Planning because both posters have very similar posts when putting Bazunu down and bigging Kelleher up.

[sadloserkid]

Another wrong post. They're not wanting to get out of those leagues.

Did you sleep through the European Super League fiasco? Or did I imagine the whole thing? Just think how much better Kelleher would be if he was sitting on the magic bench against teams like Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus every week instead of Burnley, Watford and Norwich.

[mypost]

posters have very similar posts when putting Bazunu down and bigging Kelleher up.

Still don't get it sadly.

Bazunu isn't being put down. When he's playing for Portsmouth, questions are going to be asked why he's playing for Ireland, over a keeper who is equally as good as him, at a bigger club at a higher level of the game. Would you see Southgate playing a quality Exeter keeper instead of an Everton one?

[ontheotherhand]

Still don't get it sadly.

Bazunu isn't being put down. When he's playing for Portsmouth, questions are going to be asked why he's playing for Ireland, over a keeper who is equally as good as him, at a bigger club at a higher level of the game. Would you see Southgate playing a quality Exeter keeper instead of an Everton one?

Now they are equally as good as each other? Bazunu has really gone up in your estimation over the past few posts.

If that's the case, and you've said it so you must think it, then you'd obviously pick the younger player with more match sharpness. More time to improve, higher ceiling and better prepared.

Southgate has made more than a few questionable calls, starting the Everton keeper being one of them fwiw.

[seanfhear]

Klopp could put an end to this ~ ~ Play Kelleher ~ ~ I blame Klopp.

[ontheotherhand]

Klopp could put an end to this ~ ~ Play Kelleher ~ ~ I blame Klopp.

Or sign Bazunu as they were rumoured to be looking at.....

[seanfhear]

Or sign Bazunu as they were rumoured to be looking at.....
Has Klopp got an agenda ? ~ To torture the Irish National Team supporters ! !

[ontheotherhand]

He's a closet Travers fan in reality.

[mypost]

you'd obviously pick the younger player with more match sharpness. More time to improve, higher ceiling and better prepared.

Southgate has made more than a few questionable calls, starting the Everton keeper being one of them fwiw.

That however, doesn't answer the question. Would Southgate select an on loan keeper at Exeter if he had the choice, over an Everton keeper at the top level? If the answer is no, then why are we doing it in our case?

At international level, you get to face quality strikers at the peak of their abilities. Kelleher has European Cup group stage experience. He faced the European Champions in his last league game, made some incredible saves, and his performance was praised by every pundit and commentator who saw it, in front of a live audience of about 200 countries. He hasn't conceded a goal for us yet either. But we're still insisting on playing someone from Portsmouth. It just doesn't make any sense.

[third policeman]

I was just responding to third policeman there who had said that Klopp won't play Kelleher due to the money paid for Alisson - "LFC fans I know suggested that he actually looks more secure than Allison, and that spreads to the rest of the defence. He won’t displace him because of the money Liverpool paid for Allison, and that’s his biggest problem."




Aldridge criticised Allison’s panicky and misplaced clearances today on LFCTV commentary. Kelleher’s calm and confidence with the ball at his feet when he’s played is pretty impressive.

[ontheotherhand]

That however, doesn't answer the question. Would Southgate select an on loan keeper at Exeter if he had the choice, over an Everton keeper at the top level? If the answer is no, then why are we doing it in our case?

At international level, you get to face quality strikers at the peak of their abilities. Kelleher has European Cup group stage experience. He faced the European Champions in his last league game, made some incredible saves, and his performance was praised by every pundit and commentator who saw it, in front of a live audience of about 200 countries. He hasn't conceded a goal for us yet either. But we're still insisting on playing someone from Portsmouth. It just doesn't make any sense.

Ah it does if you watch football.

Bazunu has played international level. For us. He's done quite well. People talk about it a lot. Pundits and commentators and live audiences alike. In multiple countries too.

Kelleher's saves against Chelsea were incredible? Didn't think so to be honest. He had a good game even if Liverpool were a bit all over the shop at times but incredible saves? Maybe the one at Pulisic's feet? The rest were fairly basic efforts that he did well. The most impressive thing was how calm he was, not the saves he was pulling off. But nobody is saying Kelleher had a bad game. We are delighted he had a good game and hope he gets many more.

As for your Southgate scenario I don't know. If England had a 19 year old who had saved a Ronaldo peno and was listed by Marca as one of the most exciting prospects in world football they might give him go! Pickford starts in the EPL though so it's not a perfect comparison is it? If Begovic was England's #1 and they had Bazunu as an option? They'd probably go with Travers.

[ontheotherhand]

Aldridge criticised Allison’s panicky and misplaced clearances today on LFCTV commentary. Kelleher’s calm and confidence with the ball at his feet when he’s played is pretty impressive.

Agree 100%. It was the other part of the post I responded to. Kelleher looks really calm with the ball at his feet and I think he'd suit how we play now really well. If he is better than Bazunu in one category it might be there but Bazunu isn't bad either and has some freakish saves to go along with it. I'd love to see them both in training.

[Charlie Darwin]

That however, doesn't answer the question. Would Southgate select an on loan keeper at Exeter if he had the choice, over an Everton keeper at the top level? If the answer is no, then why are we doing it in our case?

At international level, you get to face quality strikers at the peak of their abilities. Kelleher has European Cup group stage experience. He faced the European Champions in his last league game, made some incredible saves, and his performance was praised by every pundit and commentator who saw it, in front of a live audience of about 200 countries. He hasn't conceded a goal for us yet either. But we're still insisting on playing someone from Portsmouth. It just doesn't make any sense.
I might be overthinking this, but I imagine he'd pick the keeper he thinks is better equipped to do the job.

[ontheotherhand]

I might be overthinking this, but I imagine he'd pick the keeper he thinks is better equipped to do the job.

Ah no. Makes more sense that Kenny and his mgmt team are risking their jobs and the respect of the team by picking an obviously inferior pub league player ahead of Kelleher who they hate because he didn't score enough goals for Kenny at u-21 level or something.

[sadloserkid]

Sam Johnstone is in the England squad too even though he's playing at a lower level than Jed Steer if we're to drag that logic to it's conclusion. So Southgate is seemingly picking up a few tips from Kenny.

[joey B]

Another start for him tonight against a strong enough looking Arsenal side,should be a good test….

[paul_oshea]

Given the strength of the side Klopp put out last night and how delicately the tie is balanced, I'd be very (pleasantly) surpirsed if Kelleher starts the 2nd leg.

I'd say Klopp was eager to finish the tie last night but that hasn't come to pass.

I think from what klopp said he meant, there wasn't anything out of context. Allison was lacking match practice and needs game time, with the premier League and bigger things to focus on. That's proven the case tonight that he got that and the weekend and now kellehers back in.


Kelleher hasn't had much to do tonight. I think he looks slighter than bazunu but I feel he covers the goal better, long looking :)

[tommy_c12000]

Solid but not much to do. A couple of saves, not overly convincing from corners/crosses. Very comfortable with ball at feet. Another game of experience under his belt.

[Jd2793]

what will people be complaining about tonight? another league cup appearance? the fact he didnt have a lot to do because of the 10 in front of him?

[joey B]

Really assured in what he had to do which wasnt very much,the 25 million pound keeper down the other end let in a very poor goal, but Kelleher looked rock solid for me.....

[Razors left peg]

Really assured in what he had to do which wasnt very much,the 25 million pound keeper down the other end let in a very poor goal, but Kelleher looked rock solid for me.....
That raises a good question. If Kelleher was to be sold now would they get 15/20 Million for him?

[paul_oshea]

https://twitter.com/KennysKids/status/1484276597708537857?s=20

Long and lanky arms : D

[Jd2793]

That raises a good question. If Kelleher was to be sold now would they get 15/20 Million for him?

they've got similar fees for worse players in the past. they sold danny ward to leicester for 12.5 mil, he had only made 3 starts for them. im pretty sure FSG will be looking at him as a sellable asset if they see Allison as the no.1 for the foreseeable

[seanfhear]

what will people be complaining about tonight? another league cup appearance? the fact he didnt have a lot to do because of the 10 in front of him?
Arsenal let him down by not being very good.

[Jd2793]

Arsenal let him down by not being very good.

booo. wish he was playing with gillingham against lincoln , then we'd see how good he is

[joey B]

That raises a good question. If Kelleher was to be sold now would they get 15/20 Million for him?

Hopefully somebody does come in for him,it'll put Liverpool and the player himself to the test on where he/they see his future.....

[ontheotherhand]

what will people be complaining about tonight? another league cup appearance? the fact he didnt have a lot to do because of the 10 in front of him?

You'll find that agenda somewhere Jd, keep looking!

Missed the game but saw the save. Top class from the angle I got on Twitter. Great to see.

[Razors left peg]

You'll find that agenda somewhere Jd, keep looking!

Missed the game but saw the save. Top class from the angle I got on Twitter. Great to see.

No one has an agenda. Everyone on here is an Ireland fan who wants to see all Irish players do well. Some of us however would like to see him play more than 5 games per year at his age and think its not good for his development that he plays so little football when he is obviously a very good keeper.

[texidub]

Nice save from the freekick tonight. Great to see the appearances piling up. We are spoiled. Bazunu has done little wrong for Ireland... it's his spot to lose.

Can see it now.. Champions League Final, 2028... Kelleher in goal for Liverpool, Bazunu in goal for Real Madrid... and it goes to a penalty shootout...

[tommy_c12000]

what will people be complaining about tonight? another league cup appearance? the fact he didnt have a lot to do because of the 10 in front of him?

You’re a tad bit sensitive for some reason. He was solid in a league cup semi final. One very good save, good distribution, but not convincing with corners/crosses. He wasn’t really tested apart from 2 shots on target from what I recall off hand. Continues to show promise and gained more experience. Are you seeing it differently somehow?

[elatedscum]

No one has an agenda. Everyone on here is an Ireland fan who wants to see all Irish players do well. Some of us however would like to see him play more than 5 games per year at his age and think its not good for his development that he plays so little football when he is obviously a very good keeper.

It’s a strange one alright, cause on one hand, he’s only played 6 games this season but on the other, his starts against Chelsea and Arsenal are the two highest profile of any Irish player this season. Would we be more impressed with Bazunu’s loan spell or if he was getting first team minutes for City? Trouble for Liverpool is, until Pitaluga or Jaros or Orzinski improve, there’s no inbuilt replacement who is anywhere close to Kelleher’s level. And if they can sell him for 15-25m then they’d need to spend similar to replace him.

[samhaydenjr]

Thought he did very well tonight with what he had to do - in most of the games I've seen him play he seems to pull off at least one top-class save and tonight was no exception - I don't think I've ever seen Allisson make a save as good as what Kelleher did from that free-kick. Also dealt well with the weird/tricky one from a tight angle in the second half. Got a decent punch on a really good corner and fortunately didn't face any once-in-a-career worldie netbusters, for a change. I will comment on his distribution - I have downplayed that in the past but I have noticed a couple of things about it recently. Tonight he showed a good range of passing, never putting his defenders in a tight spot - and what I particularly noticed, though, was that he had a keen sense of when the Arsenal Press was making playing out too risky, deciding to go long whenever that happened

I do still agree with those who believe he could do with a 40-game season next year, even if it is at League One - I think it will help him sharpen the tools he already has - Travers and Bazunu both had wobbles early on, but after more than 60 senior games each, they both look rock solid and ready to fulfil the potential we hope and think they have

[Jd2793]

Playing in league 1 is of 0 benefit to him now.

[Diggs246]

I'm i the only person on this planet that thinks Allison is over rated?

[liamoo11]

Playing in league 1 is of 0 benefit to him now.

Absolutely not a chance he goes to league 1 . I can't understand what the criticism of him on corners and crosses last night is about he dealt with a difficult corner very well with a strong punch and everything else was straightforward for him. What do people want? I would think liverpool will loan him to a top flight club hopefully abroad for a few season s and have him come back as Allison's direct replacement somewhat like what chelsea did with courtois

[DeLorean]

I think from what klopp said he meant, there wasn't anything out of context. Allison was lacking match practice and needs game time, with the premier League and bigger things to focus on. That's proven the case tonight that he got that and the weekend and now kellehers back in.

Evidently so, thankfully. I was wrong in thinking the comments about him being the 'goalkeeper for this competition' were mere lip service. But that's what happens sometimes, when people are silly enough to predict something in advance, rather than wait for the outcome and post like they knew all along.

[Stuttgart88]

I'm i the only person on this planet that thinks Allison is over rated?No. I've said before here that he's far from the best keeper in the world like many say he is but he is a very good "big club" keeper. Some very good keepers have made a monumental mess of trying to be goalkeeper at a big club.

I thought Kelleher was very assured again last night. Very good save early on, read the game well and kept the ball ticking over without any fuss during open play and swept well on one occasion.

I think he's a world apart from the keeper he was a year ago. He looked like a rookie keeper afraid to make mistakes in previous seasons whereas now I think he looks like he knows he belongs at a high level. I don't know how many ex-keepers here had the same experience but when I played I had spells where I really didn't want anything tricky to do as my confidence was low, but equally there were spells where I'd want my defenders to make mistakes or i'd want forwards to shoot as I was feeling great and desperate to be involved more. I think Kelleher really looks now like he wants to show how good he is whereas in the past I felt his objective was to not mess up.

I think there was one highly disingenuous post on the previous page "what will people be complaining about now?" Ridiculous. Nobody has been complaining about anything. Assessment and criticism are different things.

I wouldn't go overboard praising him for the second half tip over with both hands. That was routine - but sure, he did it well. And I don't think it was a particularly good corner that he dealt with, but deal with it he did.

I have reservations about him on high balls because in previous years he hasn't convinced me so I retain a nagging doubt that it's a strong part of his game. It'll remain so until proven otherwise. If you'd have asked me a few weeks ago how was Ramsdale under high balls I'd have said superb, but in recent weeks he has flapped and misjudged. Overall I think Ramsdale was poor last night despite generally being excellent this season, especially the attitude and swagger he brings to the shirt. I'd love to see Kelleher get as lengthy a run of games just to satisfy my curiosity as to what he's capable of. I think we already know he brings a coolness and calmness to his defence and generally looks like he believes in himself. That's brilliant to have. I have no doubt he's ready to do a job for Ireland but I'm still reserving judgment on just what standard he is at right now until there are more observation points.

[livehead1]

I do still agree with those who believe he could do with a 40-game season next year, even if it is at League One - I think it will help him sharpen the tools he already has - Travers and Bazunu both had wobbles early on, but after more than 60 senior games each, they both look rock solid and ready to fulfil the potential we hope and think they have

League 1 :D:D

Why not just send him to LoI to toughen him up?

[pineapple stu]

I don't know how many ex-keepers here had the same experience but when I played I had spells where I really didn't want anything tricky to do as my confidence was low, but equally there were spells where I'd want my defenders to make mistakes or i'd want forwards to shoot as I was feeling great and desperate to be involved more.
Very much been there!

Goalkeepers are different alright :)

Agree with others that if Kelleher can go to Stamford Bridge and be Liverpool's best player, then a spell in League One would be of no interest; he's better where he is.

Now if (hypothetically) Newcastle with their Saudi millions were to make an offer, that would be a different prospect alright. Finding the right time to leave is going to be tricky though. It's a really unfortunate position he's in in a way.

[Stuttgart88]

The guy has a credible chance of being Liverpool's keeper which would be a silly thing to give up. He'd almost be better as number 3 and going on loan like Johnstone did at WBA, a yoyo club. I think it's hard for us to advise him not knowing what Liverpool's real long term plan is for him. The high praise could be taken at face value or it could be a means of getting a few quid extra for him when they sell him. I think they do genuinely rate him though.