Liverpool's Caoimhín Kelleher still eager to secure loan move

Caoimhín Kelleher during a Republic of Ireland training session at The Hive in Barnet, England. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Caoimhín Kelleher is hopeful that he can avail of a loan move away from Liverpool in January's transfer window after a switch to a club in the Netherlands was scuppered by Alisson's shoulder injury earlier this season.

With Adrian promoted to No.1 at the time, Kelleher's services were required as back-up. It was the second time that the former Ringmahon Rangers goalkeeper has seen his chance of regular first-team football thwarted by issues with Jurgen Klopp's first-choice.

A switch planned for last summer was cancelled after the Brazilian picked up a calf problem and all that has left the Cork-native relying on the odd domestic cup appearance with the senior side - just four so far - and some game time with the U23s in Premier League 2.

Twenty-two later this month, he is eager to start banking more competitive minutes.

“I'd love to do that,” he said from the Republic of Ireland's team base in London ahead of Thursday's friendly against England. 

I haven't had the chance to do that yet. For me it's the next step, to play regular football, so I'd relish the opportunity.”

He isn't blind to the benefits of life at Anfield where he has learned so much from Alisson and others, including Simon Mignolet, and he backs himself to claim the starting slot with club and with country at some point down the line.

“Yeah, it's definitely something I believe. I wouldn't stay at Liverpool if I didn't believe that, to be honest. It's something I can see myself doing in the future, on both fronts, so I keep pushing myself, keep trying to improve, and hopefully when the opportunity does come for me then I'll be ready and able to impress.

There's no doubting that he is highly-rated.

Stephen Kenny spoke of how impressed Alan Kelly, his goalkeeping coach with the Republic of Ireland, was with the goalkeeper when the latter started working with him in training. Kelly also said this week that he is already good enough to play senior international football and that game time is all he lacks.

Plenty at Liverpool harbour similarly elevated opinions.

Klopp has labelled him an outstanding talent with a fantastic future who adapted seamlessly to the big time when playing a pre-season friendly against Manchester United in front of 100,000 fans in Michigan two years ago.

His assistant Pepijn Lijnders is another who has noted the player's admirable temperament while Liverpool's goalkeeping coach John Achterberg has, like Klopp, praised his work with the ball at his feet, as well as his shot stopping and general reflexes.

How and where he makes this next step will be crucial. As Kelleher says himself, he needs to have game-time under his belt before Klopp thrusts him in and that opportunity is a near impossible task at a club where the man in possession cost over €70m and Adrian, the first reserve, has played 125 times for West Ham United.

Look further down the pyramid and there are another six goalkeepers in the club's academy. Jaros Vitezslav is one of them. Only 19, the Czech has already appeared for the first-team and he has travelled as the third keeper lately while Kelleher has been appearing for the U23s.

Time waits for no man when there are so many boys pushing through.

Kelleher sounds relaxed about the next six to nine months and insists he won't “blow up” if that loan move doesn't work out. Another extension at Liverpool would still beat a bad experience elsewhere. He has no intention of saying yes to the first club that bats an eyelid at him.

It’s important to find the right club, the type of goalkeeper, the style of goalkeeper, maybe a team that plays more football would suit the way I play a bit more.

“You kind of look at stuff like that, all aspects, and where it is. I’m not bothered where it is once it’s the right team, the right style and the manager and everything. Once it’s all the right thing for me, that’s the club I’ll choose.”