Caoimhin KELLEHER: 2024/25

Kirkby 2024/25
101

If Mamardashvili turns out to be the best of the emerging generation of keepers, and he looks like it has a good chance, it may be an inspired move.

Kelleher looks very good indeed, so I do have a twinge of regret that Mamardashvili is coming, as it will likely bump Kelleher out.

Time will tell if it is the right move. The people who made the decision think it is, and I’m happy to keep an open mind and see what develops.

Still, on a human level I do feel sad for Kelleher, as he has done all that he possibly can do, and is exceeding expectations.

It looks like the harsh world of football at the very highest level, but I’m willing to hold judgment until I see what Mamardashvili does when he gets here. It wouldn’t surprise me if we end up going from the best in the world of this generation in Alisson, to the best in the world of the next generation in Mamardashvili. I’m sure that’s the idea, anyway.

5 Likes
102

Yeah. Nothing to read on the international performance.

Being a man down against a superior lineup and the first goal coming by Penalty as well.

I suppose Ireland did well to hold England at bay in the first half.

103

All these things are normal and some of it is down to circumstances and timing.

Did Chelsea need Courtois when Cech was still on a high level? You could argue no at the time, but it turned out to be a brilliant move.

Alisson is still here on a contract until 2027, when he will be 35. Yet to be seen whether he’s still here for that duration or even longer.

Kelleher is a soon to be 26-year old with 75 senior games in his whole career so far. He will have a year left from next summer and of course his preference is still to go somewhere where he’s finally first choice.

Us signing Mama is not to push out Kelleher, it’s preparing for the (near) future. Adding competition.

Jaros is here, but we haven’t seen much from him and our opinion based on little evidence can be different to what the club and people making decisions think of his current level and future ceiling.

It’s not like everything is already decided, what exactly happens when, but we’re making moves to be better prepared for the near and long term future.

104

Another way to look at something like this… Is 90mins of game activity at another club, once a week, an adequate replacement for being in the mix constantly with a club that challenges on all fronts every season.
The days of being involved in the first team eleven that never change personnel, or to quote the great Shankly - “same team as last week” - have IMO, moved on to a squad rotation acceptance in todays game.
When the guy is telling his grandkids about his exploits in years to come, there is absolutely no shame in reminiscing about being part of a squad game, and playing under that icon of football management, Jurgen Klopp…!
The guy even got the chance to score a winning penalty in a cup final… how many goalkeepers in the game have ever been able to say that…
I would like to see him stay and fight for his place… no matter who he comes up against. If he is good enough, he will get game time.
Sometimes being able to test your own ability against others, who are at the top of their game, can be more stimulating than just bobbing along in some sort of mundane type of daily activity

3 Likes
105

Sure.

It’s just that the exception to that rule is the keeper.

We need keepers to play as much as possible. If you’ve seen Kelleher , he’s only improved the more match time he got. And that’s impossible for him here. This quite frankly is his last throw of the dice to get a proper club. He’s 25 , young enough for a keeper but there are people around him , younger than him … Bazunu for instance , who’ve played more than him for their clubs.

3 Likes
106

I have questions over the hiring of Mamardahsvili. But if the club believes that he’s someone they need , it shows that he’s rated highly.

We will still be debating on this 3-4 years down the line if not more on whether the club should have spent a sizable amount on Mamardahsvili instead of making the effective 1.5 keeper (which Kelleher is now given the injury record of Alisson) the first choice.

107

And if Kelleher had an English passport, he’d have been the #1 choice today for a top 4 club. There’s absolutely no doubt about that.

108

He’s easily in the top 5 goalies in the premier league and better than some of those goalies in the list as well.

Alisson and then the others in no particular order.

Ederson , Raya , Kelleher , Martinez.

109

Alisson does have certain injury issues here and there, but it’s not as catastrophic really.

Would it be enough to convince Kelleher to sign a new contract with us? I don’t think so and obviously it didn’t change his position, for now.

I believe he would’ve left in the summer of 2023 if we hadn’t qualified for Europe. Back then, we could offer him “his” League Cup, but also the group stage of the EL. Klopp said he talked him into staying to help us one more season.

That summer, numerous PL clubs were in the search or they signed new goalkeepers. Some realistic targets for Kelleher that would’ve been clubs like Brighton, Forest, perhaps Tottenham at a stretch.

Of course, we had our own valuation when the power in the market was still on our side, considering his performances and years left on his contract.

The ideal time to maximize Kelleher and get an important fee for him was going to be, at the latest, when he has two years left on his deal.

So of all these possible destinations, he wasn’t the choosen one for other clubs. All we got so far is an £8m offer from Forest (who are changing goalkeepers like socks in last years) late last January. Which we of course rejected as it wasn’t right for us, for multiple reasons.

We judged that Mama at the price we bought him for last summer is a quality business for the future. That doesn’t mean the definite end for Kelleher’s chances to become first choice here, as he still prefers to leave, considering the situation.

At this moment, we have no clue when will Alisson exactly leave Liverpool and who will be his replacement. Kelleher, Mamardashvili, Jaros, or a completely different name never mentioned so far.

All we can do is make quality decisions for the short and long term and improve our chances to always have a few quality options at the club or under contracts.

Which we are doing and I for one am really pleased and proud of our whole goalkeeper department in the last years.

5 Likes
110

I would have no problem with that. He is a very good goalkeeper. I would say there are only a few goalies who are better in the Prem - Alisson, Ederson, Raya, Martinez - and then I would put Kelleher with the likes of Pope as a very small step down from the top group. With more playing time Kelleher might easily start working his way up the list too, and he is making a great case for himself.

What is a little perplexing is that it looked like we were open for a sale in the summer, but we were only offered buttons from the likes of Nottingham Forest.

Hopefully with all the action he has been getting, and with how well he has done, if the time does come when we sell, there will be more suitors at a better price.

111

Pope is not in the same league as the others.

As a overall keeper , leave aside Alisson.

It’s between Ederson, Raya, Martinez and Kelleher.

I’d rate Kelleher over the other 4. It’s not just red tinted sunglasses. Ederson is shit at positioning when it comes to actual shot stopping. Raya as well. Way too static at his feet and also isn’t as good at distribution as what Kelleher is. Martinez is great at one to ones but his distribution and positioning elsewhere leaves a lot to be desired.

Take out Alisson from the lot , and you’ll find that Kellher is up there.

112

And before someone comes up and says that Kelleher can become a liability. The fact is that Ederson is a liability (which hasn’t gone punished enough)

113

I do see Kelleher as up there. Only very slightly behind where you have him currently, but near enough.

The large gap is where the market sees him… Forest, a few million and a packet of Wotsits? That’s the problem, if he does end up being sold.

My hope is that the great performances he has been putting in will see someone come in who rates him as highly as Liverpool fans.

Edit:
And I should also add I’m not pushing him out the door! I always thought he would replace Alisson but with the singing of Mamardashvili I now think Kelleher will be sold, but you never know.

114

Take the pros and cons of those other keepers and you’ll find Kelleher is up there.

He’s remarkably assured with the ball at his feet.

Hasn’t done any mistakes so far this season either (except if it was the Brighton non goal which Alisson would have saved but then it’s Alisson)

115

If I were to rank the goalkeepers in the Prem, I would only have four as better than Kelleher, and unfortunately for him, one of them is ahead of him at Liverpool.

116

Friends who follow la liga mostly make it a point to say how good a keeper Kelleher is.

Part of that is due to the system. But the other major important part is that his positioning, shot stopping and distribution are really top notch.

117

I dont think either of the four are clearly ahead of Kelleher.

118

And we’ve come from seeing Kelleher as a championship level keeper, lower premier league keeper to right now someone who’s a starting keeper for a top 4(minus Liverpool). He’d easily slot into the Chelsea, Spurs teams.

119

I’m almost on the same page, and I do rate him highly!

If we do sell him I expect the progression to be a sale to a mid table Prem team. He deserves better and is better, but for some reason top teams probably won’t extend themselves for what they will see as a back up goalie who needs a greater body of work as a first teamer, before paying top whack.

So I expect a mid level Prem team in Kelleher’s future, and then, if he does as well as we all expect him to, a big team will come in for him at some point. Hopefully we have a good sell on clause if that happens.

The thing that gives us all pause is that he looks like he might be good enough to replace Alisson, and he has done very well when called upon.

But we bought Mamardashvili, so even though we are all just guessing, to me the writing looks to be on the wall for Kelleher and I think he will be sold.

I am very impressed with Kelleher’s level as a goalkeeper, and I agree that he does look to have the lot and is also good with his feet. In addition, his mental strength - to be able to stay so long as a back up, and still play at such a high level when called upon, even when we are buying other goalkeepers that may end up usurping you - it is all very impressive, and shows how mentally strong he is.

120

It’s a 35m keeper there.

And I am serious about the other top European clubs too.

1 Like