Neil Lennon says Caoimhin Kelleher needs to leave Liverpool
Caoimhin Kelleher has been the best #2 Liverpool could ever ask for. The 24-year-old is Liverpool’s ‘Cup Game Yashin’ and in 19 appearances for the Reds across all competitions, the Reds’ Academy Graduate has kept nine clean sheets.
His heroics helped Liverpool win the Carabao Cup last season and got us to the final of the FA Cup last season wherein Alisson came in for him in the final and basically, he has been the best possible understudy to the Brazilian.
As the second-choice goalkeeper for Liverpool, the Republic of Ireland international has become known for his expertise in saving penalties and has played a crucial role in helping the team win important shootouts as well, the most recent of those coming against Derby County in the Carabao Cup two months ago.
Former Celtic boss Neil Lennon told Football Odds via Liverpool Echo that Caoimhin Kelleher needs to leave Liverpool as he believes that Kelleher is too good to play second fiddle to Ali and here is the rest of what he said:
“Kelleher will need to leave Liverpool to fulfill his full potential. It will be difficult for him to displace Alisson Becker. However, he is still young and has plenty of football ahead of him. I’m sure he and Jurgen Klopp would have had conversations about this.”
Kelleher and the Reds
As a professional athlete, it is certainly natural for Kelleher to want to play at the highest level and compete for a starting position. Moreover, under Alisson, who is arguably the best keeper in the world, regular playing time for Kelleher might be tough to come by.
That may not provide him with as many opportunities to play as he would like, especially during his prime years when he is only 24. Even though the Reds and most fans in the most ideal of situations would not want to see the back of Caoimh, situations for him personally could mean that he would want to explore different opportunities.
He has a contract until 2026 (Transfermarkt) and given he has displayed his world-class abilities on the highest stage now, the decision to either stay at Liverpool or look elsewhere for the sake of his career will have to be taken sooner than later.
We do not want to see a repeat of Simon Mignolet and the Loris Karius fiasco which led to the Reds losing out on an early UEFA Champions League title, and hence, convincing Kelleher to stay at the club is something the management should think about.
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However, it is also important to keep in mind that every player’s career path is different and there may be other factors that make staying at Liverpool as a second-choice goalkeeper a worthwhile decision for Kelleher.
