Liverpool's Czech keeper waiting on Klopp's wishes for next posting

Vitezslav Jaros came of age in St Patrick's Athletic's FAI Cup win

St. Patrick's goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros makes a late save

With a good-luck message on his phone from his manager Liverpool Jurgen Klopp, Vitezslav Jaros came of age on Ireland’s biggest stage.

The goalkeeper’s superb stop from Bohemians attacker Ross Tierney late in extra-time earned St Patrick’s Athletic a penalty shoot-out in Sunday’s FA Cup final.

He didn’t need to save any, as the two missed by Bohemians were off-target, but the loanee insists he had the attempt from Tyreke Wilson covered as it whistled past his post.

Rated by his Saints manager Stephen O’Donnell as a better goalkeeper at 20 than he observed in Kasper Schmeichel as a team-mate on loan at Falkirk, Jaros now returns to Liverpool.

He has a queue of fellow custodians ahead of him at Anfield, primarily Cork native Caoimhín Kelleher.

Jaros is unsure whether Klopp will allow him to return to the FAI Cup champions for the 2022 season but the club sent chief scout, former Northern Ireland international Barry Hunter, to Aviva Stadium for Sunday’s occasion attended by a record 37,126 turnout.

“It’s still up in the air what will happen when the January transfer window opens,” admits the Czech Republic U21 stopper, who had his luminous Cup final jersey signed by his teammates as a farewell.

“I enjoyed the pressure that you get from playing in front of such a huge crowd. I think it drove me on.

“Throughout this season's loan, I’ve learnt the main things in men’s football: about game management, when to go long and when to go short, when to slow down and when to speed up. I’ve got my first senior trophy too.” 

Jaros has saved two spot-kicks in the second round win over Cork City and prepared himself for more by scribbling the routines of Bohs’ potential penalty-takers on the side of his water bottle.

“I’d watched a few clips the night before to get an idea so I was glad to have the fourth penalty covered,” he said with a smile.

Saints owner Garrett Kelleher won’t be fully smiling till he has manager Stephen O’Donnell and key players retained for next season. Only Jamie Lennon of the senior players is contracted for 2022 as it stands.

O’Donnell, along with Drogheda United boss Tim Clancy, is on a wishlist of targets at Dundalk but will have to weigh up his affinity with the Louth side against the European football he’d be sacrificing by leaving Inchicore.

“I’ve nothing yet but would love to stay,” said Robbie Benson, whose penalty sealed the Cup. I love it here and hopefully it gets sorted quickly.”