Caoimhín Kelleher GK Brentford b.1998

**pineapple stu** · 03/12/2023, 4:08 PM

Originally Posted by Eirambler

Maybe Liverpool might now finally send him out on the loan he should have gone on about four years ago.

That may be the plus side out of it - or even that they be happy to move him on in the summer.

Pity in fairness, but them's the breaks. Should still get another couple of games, and at least his teammates bailed him out, which should make it easier to move on for the next game (Sheffield United away; hardly a busy evening you'd have thought) without worrying about costing his team points.

**Eirambler** · 03/12/2023, 4:36 PM

I think that was a game where he could have made a few smart stops from close range in a game that actually matters (so not an early round cup game or a European group game that they can recover from if they lose). And boosted his chance of a big move in the process. As you say, he may well get the day off basically against Sheffield United and he might be back on the bench after that, so today really was a big day for him, and it didn't go well.

I would worry that Kelleher might be a keeper who ends up not playing a massive amount of first team football in his career. It's easy to forget that for every Premier League starting keeper there are three more in each team's squad that are not playing. So that accounts for 75% of senior keepers at that level. Some of them seem perfectly happy with that, they pick up five figures a week, get most weekends off and can retire comfortably at 35.

Unfortunately I see that being a likely career path for Kelleher, he just doesn't seem to have the inner drive that Bazunu has to put himself out there, make the mistakes, learn from them and get better as a result. Which likely means that he won't pick up too many starting opportunities during international periods either.

**Jd2793** · 03/12/2023, 4:38 PM

he'll be sold or kept as a no2. loan wont happen

**elatedscum** · 03/12/2023, 6:26 PM

Not a great performance. Kind of the opposite of the one during the week. The first two goals are shots that a world class keeper saves. I don�t think they�re outright errors, Wilson hits the ball pretty hard from relatively close range and the second goal is close enough that he has to guess a little. Don�t think the third goal has anything to do with him. Tsimikas needs to do much better

Klopp did mention during the week that he saw Kelleher as being the number 1 after Alisson and if the conditions were right for the club or if the solution was there (possibly paraphrasing) then he could go out on loan.

I think whatever happens will be in summer. Can�t see Liverpool finding another keeper in January.

**ontheotherhand** · 03/12/2023, 6:36 PM

he's a rookie with no match sharpness. he's going to have bad games. this is the situation he put himself in though by not going on loan. it's a lot of pressure.

**samhaydenjr** · 03/12/2023, 9:35 PM

Originally Posted by ontheotherhand

he's a rookie with no match sharpness. he's going to have bad games. this is the situation he put himself in though by not going on loan. it's a lot of pressure.

He's in his fifth year as a rookie, then. As a Liverpool fan, it was a worrying performance - I keep waiting for him to have that game where he really announces his arrival as a top-class keeper, but he doesn't ever seem to have it. At this point, not only would I not have him as our No. 1, I wouldn't have him in the squad. At this point Travers has 105 league appearances under his belt (admittedly 23 at Weymouth), Bazunu has had 128 and O'Leary has 160. Kelleher has played six league games!. Barring a major turnaround in performance in the next few games or a successful loan spell, I think it's time to drop him down the pecking-order.

**seanfhear** · 03/12/2023, 9:45 PM

Originally Posted by samhaydenjr

He's in his fifth year as a rookie, then. As a Liverpool fan, it was a worrying performance - I keep waiting for him to have that game where he really announces his arrival as a top-class keeper, but he doesn't ever seem to have it. At this point, not only would I not have him as our No. 1, I wouldn't have him in the squad. At this point Travers has 105 league appearances under his belt (admittedly 23 at Weymouth), Bazunu has had 128 and O'Leary has 160. Kelleher has played six league games!. Barring a major turnaround in performance in the next few games or a successful loan spell, I think it's time to drop him down the pecking-order.

I saw some short highlights. He didn't look convincing. He just hasn't played enough games of football and it shows.

**ontheotherhand** · 04/12/2023, 8:02 AM

Originally Posted by samhaydenjr

He's in his fifth year as a rookie, then. As a Liverpool fan, it was a worrying performance - I keep waiting for him to have that game where he really announces his arrival as a top-class keeper, but he doesn't ever seem to have it. At this point, not only would I not have him as our No. 1, I wouldn't have him in the squad. At this point Travers has 105 league appearances under his belt (admittedly 23 at Weymouth), Bazunu has had 128 and O'Leary has 160. Kelleher has played six league games!. Barring a major turnaround in performance in the next few games or a successful loan spell, I think it's time to drop him down the pecking-order.

I don't disagree with the first bit and it's been said on here for a few years now. But I also don't think he should be judged on a few performances. Let's see how he bounces back.

Not sure about dropping him down the pecking order either. He's done well for Ireland for the most part. Travers hasn't been much better when called upon. O'Leary I don't know much about though to be fair so you might be right there.

I've never really bought into the hype that Klopp likes to make about Kelleher. We shouldn't be expecting a world class keeper or "the best #2 in the world". That's just manager speak. We have a very inexperienced keeper who is clearly highly regarded as a prospect and has done well in some games at a high level. He needs games now. Same as he has for a few seasons.

**seanfhear** · 04/12/2023, 8:34 AM

25 year old prospect. This is getting ridiculous at this stage !

**weldoninhio** · 04/12/2023, 8:37 AM

Originally Posted by ontheotherhand

I don't disagree with the first bit and it's been said on here for a few years now. But I also don't think he should be judged on a few performances. Let's see how he bounces back.

Not sure about dropping him down the pecking order either. He's done well for Ireland for the most part. Travers hasn't been much better when called upon. O'Leary I don't know much about though to be fair so you might be right there.

I've never really bought into the hype that Klopp likes to make about Kelleher. We shouldn't be expecting a world class keeper or "the best #2 in the world". That's just manager speak. We have a very inexperienced keeper who is clearly highly regarded as a prospect and has done well in some games at a high level. He needs games now. Same as he has for a few seasons.

Can you still be a �prospect� at 25 years old??

**John83** · 04/12/2023, 9:25 AM

Maybe only as a goalkeeper.

**seanfhear** · 04/12/2023, 9:33 AM

Originally Posted by John83

Maybe only as a goalkeeper.

Even as a goalkeeper. 25 is past being a prospect.

**joey B** · 04/12/2023, 10:09 AM

25 is old for a prospect but definitely the position a player can come to the fore much older,I think Emi Martinez is the most obvious recent one I can think of�.

**Exgrad** · 04/12/2023, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by weldoninhio

Can you still be a �prospect� at 25 years old??

PSG have a great prospect on their hands called Donnarumma, younger than Kelleher believe it or not.

**seanfhear** · 04/12/2023, 10:26 AM

Originally Posted by exgrad

psg have a great prospect on their hands called donnarumma, younger than kelleher believe it or not.

~ lol ~

**ontheotherhand** · 04/12/2023, 10:27 AM

Am I now in the strange position of backing up Kelleher? What a thread!

Of course he's a prospect. That's what he's always been. Being Liverpool's backup at his age is still solid. You can think he needs to play and still say it's not a terrible path to have taken.

He came late to the game and he's a keeper. He has another 10+ years to play. I don't think he made the right decision in staying at Liverpool for so long but he's now a starting GK in the EPL. If he bounces back from this weekend things will be looking OK again. If he doesn't he still has a few seasons to get his move and show what he can do. As said above, it's happened before with GKs. Bazunu was still Ireland's #1 while struggling in the EPL, shoddy defence notwithstanding.

I've always argued that he should be playing regularly by the way. This thread has a long history!

**Jolly Red Giant** · 04/12/2023, 10:56 AM

Originally Posted by Exgrad

PSG have a great prospect on their hands called Donnarumma, younger than Kelleher believe it or not.

Donnarumma is a freak in goalkeeping terms - a complete one off.

**Eirambler** · 04/12/2023, 11:19 AM

I would say the day you turn 25 you're done as a "prospect" if you're an outfield player. I'd maybe give a keeper one additional year so Kelleher maybe has another 11 months as a "prospect" but that's about it. Not that players can't improve further after that age but being called a prospect when you're closer to 30 than 20 is stretching things surely? Sooner or later you have to go out and play and back up the potential. You'd have to question at this point whether Kelleher has had the desire needed to push on and do that.

There can't be many players in any position who had only played 30 senior club games by 25 years old that went on to achieve much in the game. Can't think of any examples actually.

**pineapple stu** · 04/12/2023, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by Eirambler

There can't be many players in any position who had only played 30 senior club games by 25 years old that went on to achieve much in the game. Can't think of any examples actually.

We've had three or four examples in this thread, including Noppert (Dutch keeper at the last World Cup) and Vitinho (current Spurs keeper)

**seanfhear** · 04/12/2023, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by Eirambler

I would say the day you turn 25 you're done as a "prospect" if you're an outfield player. I'd maybe give a keeper one additional year so Kelleher maybe has another 11 months as a "prospect" but that's about it. Not that players can't improve further after that age but being called a prospect when you're closer to 30 than 20 is stretching things surely? Sooner or later you have to go out and play and back up the potential. You'd have to question at this point whether Kelleher has had the desire needed to push on and do that.

There can't be many players in any position who had only played 30 senior club games by 25 years old that went on to achieve much in the game. Can't think of any examples actually.

I assume Kelleher is on pretty decent money at Liverpool ~ Maybe he is happy with what he is doing and getting paid ?