Jurgen Klopp gives his verdict on retaining faith in Caoimhin Kelleher in the Carabao Cup
Speaking after the victory in the Carabao Cup final ((h/t Daily Mail), Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp reveals his thoughts about giving young goalie, Caoimhin Kelleher the opportunity to play in the pivotal cup final against Chelsea
While there may have been quite a few people who would have had their reservations about this choice before the fixture, the 23-year-old did a pretty good job of holding his nerves as he played a crucial role in helping the Reds lift the Carabao Cup trophy.
The Irish professional footballer scored the decisive penalty as his counterpart Kepa Arrizabalaga missed his penalty to hand Liverpool their first title of the season. This could help build some great momentum for the club heading into the business end of the season.
Speaking to reporters in his post-match address (h/t Daily Mail), the German manager showered praises on the young goalkeeper. Klopp also stated the importance of his human side in the midst of all the tactics and professional aspects of the game.
‘Even in professional football, there should be space for some sentiment. Caoimhin Kelleher is a young boy, plays in all the competition, what do I do? I am two things, a professional manager and a human being, and the human being won. He deserves it. At the training centre we have a wall that all goalkeepers are on who won something and Caoimhin can go on it – that’s how it should be – absolutely great.”
Jurgen Klopp’s faith in Kelleher pays off
Not a lot of footballers can say that they put on a Reds jersey and even fewer can claim that they played a crucial role in helping the club win a trophy. At 23, Kelleher can proudly say that he has done both and is slowly starting to cement his place as the preferred replacement to Alisson Becker in goal.
The Irish professional footballer was a dependable option throughout the game removing some great saves, especially in extra time after throwing in a leg to stop Romelu Lukaku from getting on the scoreboard in what could have been a crucial goal for the Blues.
The former Borussia Dortmund manager has been known for giving opportunities to deserving youngsters in domestic competitions. More often than not this provides them with a launching pad to make their way into the first team set up gradually.
With the likes of Tyler Morton, Billy Koumetio, and Conor Bradley getting some crucial first-team minutes under their belt this season, it would be safe to say that Kelleher has profited greatly from Klopp’s decision to stick by his younger upcoming players in the Carabao Cup.
The 23-year-old has been quite impressive and this could be the perfect stepping stone for the young goalkeeper. The Anfield faithful were buzzing after Liverpool won the trophy and Klopp’s celebration after lifting the cup was the epitome of how much each piece of silverware means to him.
More Liverpool News
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- Caoimhin Kelleher opens up about his time at Liverpool and his future goals with the club
- Transfer News: Liverpool are thought to have made an offer for Real Madrid attacker Marco Asensio
The fans would be hoping that Kelleher can go ahead and put in more consistent performances in the future on a regular basis. After the impressive performance at Wembley on Sunday, the Irish goalkeeper could also be tipped as the perfect successor to Alisson when the time is right.
