Caoimhín Kelleher GK Brentford b.1998

[Olé Olé]

How did the English commentators pronounce his name?

I do enjoy this phonetic effort from a journo on F365 in coping with the shortened version of Kelleher's first name that Klopp uses: https://www.football365.com/news/klopp-kelleher-usurp-adrian-liverpool-ajax

“I don’t know how many clean sheets, Super Cup final, Champions League, played everywhere. But now, in this game we needed the football playing ability, the natural football playing ability of Kweev."

[Diggs246]

I haven't been a fan to date.
But i just saw his save from the header. That was Gordon Banks stuff...weldone baby
https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2020/1201/1181788-my-phone-hasnt-stopped-hopping-kelleher-on-debut/

[geysir]

Perhaps Klopp is just a better actor. How can you be sure that Klopp is that genuine. Sure people used to think that Mourinho was the Special Genuine One at one time !
It looked genuine, Klopp as we know is not one to hide his emotions whatever the colour.

[Bielsa´s irish]

He is a bit like the ciliessen guy, now at Valencia. but a better with the ball at his feet than the dutch

[Stuttgart88]

Obviously a very impressive game. He is so good and composed with his feet I'd almost pick him in DM for Ireland!

I thought he got a bit lost under a high ball in the first half that luckily was flagged for an offside anyway, and then Onuna got lost in an almost identical fashion for Liverpool's goal.

But great game, keep it up.

[Razors left peg]

And maybe RTE giving him MOTM and Kenny Cunningham fawning over him all night is a bit over the top too.



To be fair I had Carragher and Richards on US tv here and they were full of praise for him too, at half time and end of game

[tetsujin1979]

Liverpool fans voted him their MOTM too
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[geysir]

Probably part that motm vote was relief that he's not Alisson.

[BonnieShels]

Liverpool fans voted him their MOTM too
1334095467043381536

My god he's pale. No doubting his lineage anyway. Irish hair (https://youtu.be/zNz0DBb4d-8?t=368) is in check as well!

---

Had the game on in the background and I have to say it was a joy to be watch him play with such assuredness.

Lots of talk about him "needing to go out on loan". Madness, if he was out on loan now he wouldn't be able to play in games like last night. Chance are he'll play the final group game as well seeing as they are already through and who knows what will happen with the weekend.

[John83]

Lots of talk about him "needing to go out on loan". Madness, if he was out on loan now he wouldn't be able to play in games like last night. Chance are he'll play the final group game as well seeing as they are already through and who knows what will happen with the weekend.
That talk was largely on the assumption that he's third choice and wouldn't get a sniff of first team football any time soon. If he can entrench himself as second choice, it seems he'll get his games. It's a pleasure to see any of our players at at a top club these days. I remember bitching about O'Shea at full back at times (he always looked much happier at centre half, for Ireland anyway), but a lad playing every week at a Champions League club is practically a pipe dream now. Well, unless Mourinho's habitual second season title bid materialises to carry Doherty into that role.

[samhaydenjr]

How did the English commentators pronounce his name?

Jonathan Pearce on DAZN went with Quiveen

[Stuttgart88]

It's a pleasure to see any of our players at at a top club these days. I was even up for Liverpool.

[jbyrne]

I was even up for Liverpool.

ha... i cheered a clearance by one of the liverpool players in the 90th minute and had to pinch myself afterwards!
i just needed a clean sheet by a 22 year old Irish GK making his champions league debut to cling onto after all the last 12 months that irish international football (all levels, all ages, all genders) has done to me!

[Trequartista20]

Starts this evening

[livehead1]

Starts this evening

Fake news

[tetsujin1979]

Fake news
Not according to Liverpool's social media
1335648976603918336

[livehead1]

Not according to Liverpool's social media
1335648976603918336
Weird, sky had Allison returning!

[Bielsa´s irish]

An Erik Thorstvedt's kind of save from the kid

[tetsujin1979]

Weird, sky had Allison returning!
I noticed that as well, they've fixed it up now

[Trequartista20]

First Klopp can't pronounce his name properly and now Kelleher has the name on the back of his shirt spelt incorrectly!

[seanfhear]

First Klopp can't pronounce his name properly and now Kelleher has the name on the back of his shirt spelt incorrectly!
So long as he is a Good Goal Keeper and when he does play well the Papers get it right !

[Eirambler]

Looked very solid again tonight. Made a real contribution - two good saves that were both a couple of minutes before Liverpool scored at the other end and another goal was a length of the pitch passing move that started at his feet.

Of all the young Irish players coming through in the last few years Kelleher was one that I just wasn't convinced by in the games I had seen him in. But he has put in two very good performances back to back in meaningful games for Liverpool this week and he deserves a huge amount of credit for that.

It's early days for him and there will obviously be mistakes and setbacks, but this week alone he has become the first Irish GK to keep a clean sheet in the Champions League and the first Liverpool keeper in over a century to keep a clean sheet in the top flight of English football. It's looking very promising for him all of a sudden.

Only problem now is that he looks very much the Liverpool number two keeper, so may not go on loan. The irony is that after these performances there would probably be plenty of decent loan offers for him now.

[irishfan86]

Yep. Definitely had my doubts due to his involvement in some of those leaky cup performances by Liverpool, but has looked very cool and capable in the two matches over the last week.

Great to see an Irish player play a meaningful role in an elite team, which we haven’t seen much in recent years.

RE: going out on loan, you never know. Henderson is clearly considered the second best keeper at Man Utd, but would have been sent on loan if not for his own input in asking to stay and fight for the No. 1 role.

[pineapple stu]

the first Liverpool keeper in over a century to keep a clean sheet in the top flight of English football.
Eh, what now?

I presume you mean first Irish keeper at Liverpool to keep a top flight clean sheet?

[samhaydenjr]

Very good performance again from Kelleher - one excellent save and one decent one. But what I was delighted to see was him dealing with two crosses - the first one he took cleanly and I punched the air with delight. The second one he came for a difficult one and looked like he would not get to it but stretched and got enough of a touch to keep it away from danger. Even dealt with a communication mix-up where he wanted Matip or Fabinho to clear a through ball to the wing and they passed it back to him but he still got a good clearance on it.

So what a difference a week makes - the big question is: how many games does Kelleher have to play before he takes over from Randolph? Should Kenny start him in the World Cup qualifiers if he has half a dozen more appearances between now and then, taking into account that he has no senior caps?

[geysir]

Eh, what now?

I presume you mean first Irish keeper at Liverpool to keep a top flight clean sheet?

Is he not the first Irish Liverpool keeper in history? (ie. Ist division/EPL)

[irishfan86]

Very good performance again from Kelleher - one excellent save and one decent one. But what I was delighted to see was him dealing with two crosses - the first one he took cleanly and I punched the air with delight. The second one he came for a difficult one and looked like he would not get to it but stretched and got enough of a touch to keep it away from danger. Even dealt with a communication mix-up where he wanted Matip or Fabinho to clear a through ball to the wing and they passed it back to him but he still got a good clearance on it.

So what a difference a week makes - the big question is: how many games does Kelleher have to play before he takes over from Randolph? Should Kenny start him in the World Cup qualifiers if he has half a dozen more appearances between now and then, taking into account that he has no senior caps?

My general view is that the holder of a shirt should keep it until he lets you down.

The calculation may be a little different if both players are mostly sitting on the bench by March, especially if Kelleher’s ball-playing ability is seen to be more compatible with Kenny’s style of play. Randolph’s discomfort on the ball, as pointed out by many here, has been a concern in the Kenny era.

You can’t be sentimental at this level, but if Randolph is dropped it will be harsh as he really has been (and continues to be) very solid for us at his MAIN job, which is stopping shots.

[ColourfulPeanut]

My general view is that the holder of a shirt should keep it until he lets you down.

The calculation may be a little different if both players are mostly sitting on the bench by March, especially if Kelleher’s ball-playing ability is seen to be more compatible with Kenny’s style of play. Randolph’s discomfort on the ball, as pointed out by many here, has been a concern in the Kenny era.

You can’t be sentimental at this level, but if Randolph is dropped it will be harsh as he really has been (and continues to be) very solid for us at his MAIN job, which is stopping shots.
If hypothetically Kelleher is playing semi regularly and well for Liverpool while Randolph is still helping Fabianski warm up for a living then there won't even a debate. Kelleher would have to play.

[John83]

You can’t be sentimental at this level, but if Randolph is dropped it will be harsh as he really has been (and continues to be) very solid for us at his MAIN job, which is stopping shots.
I like Randolph, and I thought the calls to drop him were premature because he's been very reliable for us and none of the alternatives were remotely proven. Kelleher is nibbling into the latter point now, and an injured Randolph would no longer leave me in cold sweats. All the same, goalkeeper is - above all other positions - one that you have to judge over a long time-frame. Fingers crossed Kelleher continues to impress at Liverpool or on loan.


Is he not the first Irish Liverpool keeper in history? (ie. Ist division/EPL)
I don't know. The post PS was replying to didn't specify Irish, and so seems to suggest Liverpool haven't kept a clean sheet in a century, which seems... unlikely. Whether PS's suggestion was in fact the intended stat is not yet clear.

[tommy_c12000]

If Kenny persists with possession football and Kelleher is playing reasonably regularly then Kelleher is number 1. It is painful watching Randolph trying to play possession football, he has already made serious mistakes with change of style. He’s an average keeper, yes he’s done okay for Ireland but if he continues warming a bench, then time for Kelleher in March (as long as he continues to develop nicely).

[DCWA]

So what a difference a week makes - the big question is: how many games does Kelleher have to play before he takes over from Randolph?

Two. He now warrants a start for Ireland.

[Eirambler]

Eh, what now?

I presume you mean first Irish keeper at Liverpool to keep a top flight clean sheet?

Sorry, that made no sense at all, did it?! The stat I had meant to post was that he is - apparently - the youngest (not the first) Liverpool keeper to keep a clean sheet in Premier League/First Division football in over a century.

Sorry about the confusion.

[tommy_c12000]

Two. He now warrants a start for Ireland.

I believe that is said by all with appropriate caveats of him continuing his progress. It’s a big if. Let’s return to this at the time of next international window

[John83]

Sorry about the confusion.
No worries. Thanks for clarifying.

[liamoo11]

If Kenny wants to play out from the back then kelleher has to play he is on a different level to Randolph in the respect and has been since he has been involved with Ireland. Kenny has to.pick players to suit his style not keep shoe churning players in and asking them to play a style that they cant - Duffy, Randolph and browne(as a10) to me are the biggest examples of this. Duffy is a great centre half in a compact sit off low risk set up but Kenny does not it seems want to play like that. Browne can play that 10 and did for Preston for a season or 2 when the system is to play forward early and have the 10 get into the box and on the end of things. Again he did that very well and was involved in a lot of goals but Kenny does not want to play like that it seems and wants a 10 to link the third s and create with guile which Browne can never do. Same for Randolph if u want to play out from the back kelleher is as good a keeper to do that as you will find certainly in England and is miles more comfortable than Randolph at it.

[John83]

Yeah, but we knew that a month ago. What we don't know, and won't for sure until Kelleher has been tested further, is whether he'll stop shots for us. Two games do not a career make.

If the recent posts here show anything, it's how desperate we are for a little good news.

[Charlie Darwin]

Randolph is pretty good on the ball. Kelleher is much better. I think the more pressing issue is we need defenders who are as confident on the ball as our keepers.

[Olé Olé]

Yeah, but we knew that a month ago. What we don't know, and won't for sure until Kelleher has been tested further, is whether he'll stop shots for us. Two games do not a career make.

If the recent posts here show anything, it's how desperate we are for a little good news.
But it is very, very good news. He's played well for, perhaps, the best club side in the world against two good teams and kept two clean sheets.

I do think it's early to call for Randolph's head in favour of Kelleher. My primary point would be that Randolph has a bank of experience to call upon, even if he is not number 1 at his club. Kelleher is not number 1 but does not have the hundreds of senior games Randolph does.

I think there is more downside risk than upside to starting Kelleher over Randolph- at this point. Regular football at a good level should he leave Liverpool on loan might change that for me.

[pineapple stu]

What I'd like to know is can we expect any goals from Kelleher? Even 2 or 3 would be nice. :)

[John83]

I think there is more downside risk than upside to starting Kelleher over Randolph- at this point. Regular football at a good level should he leave Liverpool on loan might change that for me.
Even if he looks steady over another dozen games this season at Liverpool, it'll really start to tip the balance, I think.

[Fixer82]

If he's playing regularly for Liverpool, he'll have to be in contention to be our Number 1. Randolph has played once for West Ham this season

[pineapple stu]

I can't see he'll get regular games - Alisson effectively won them the league title - which puts him a bit of a bind because he could be at the stage where he could be getting regular games for a lower team. But then he doesn't get the development at Liverpool, even if he's limited to Cup games.

Still, goalkeeper was a huge problem for us the last couple of years in that it wasn't obvious at all who was coming along after Randolph. At least this is a big step in the right direction - sort of like the assurance when Shay Given came along and held down the place for 15+ years.

Now we just need a forward...

[John83]

Alisson is certainly a nailed on start when he's fit, but he's been injured a lot. I think Kelleher will get enough games if he holds on to the backup position. The concern is that there's another senior goalkeeper in the mix.

[Bielsa´s irish]

I dont agree Randolph is a world class keeper with a very bad agent, a bit similar to Kaylor Navas.

Please enlighten us and tell me how many of the current 20 first-team goalkeepers are better than Randolph?

I say the two brazilians, from liv and mcity, maybe the current smeichel son, the wolves keeper and that's it

He is even better than the own on his own club Fabianski

[Bielsa´s irish]

I wouldnt for the sake of football start a kid with 10 matches so far against an outstandinng 33 years old experienced goalkeeper, he is gonna replace the appaling polish very soon

[Bielsa´s irish]

Randolph better keeper than Fabianski, Pickford, Areola, Ramsdale, Martinez, Leno, degea, pope, meslier, mccarthy, , dubrabka, guaita, kepà, johnstone

same level with ryan and rui patricio

[pineapple stu]

Keylor Navas - the PSG keeper who had five years at Real Madrid, which came out of an excellent 2014 World Cup - has a "very bad agent"?

Right you are so.

[Bielsa´s irish]

[QUOTE=pineapple stu;2060484]Keylor Navas - the PSG keeper who had five years at Real Madrid, which came out of an excellent 2014 World Cup - has a "very bad agent"?
I dont agree Randolph is a world class keeper with a very bad agent, ....a bit similar GK to Kaylor Navas.

now...... did you get it?

[ColourfulPeanut]

Randolph knew exactly what he was signing up for when he went to West Ham. He knew he'd be 2nd choice and clearly wanted the payrise and London life again. Not judging him, it's his career and financial security is a big deal.

He's a good Championship keeper and a low level Premier League one who's very limited because of his footwork. He's been very good for us but lets not over-rate him.

[Razors left peg]

I dont agree Randolph is a world class keeper with a very bad agent, a bit similar to Kaylor Navas.

Please enlighten us and tell me how many of the current 20 first-team goalkeepers are better than Randolph?

I say the two brazilians, from liv and mcity, maybe the current smeichel son, the wolves keeper and that's it

He is even better than the own on his own club Fabianski

World class but cant get in ahead of Fabianski. Do you wake up every morning and try to come up with the most nonsensical thing you can write on the internet today?