Roy Keane has lauded Caoimhin Kelleher for his growth, praising his vital role for the Republic of Ireland and Liverpool. The Cork-born goalkeeper showcased his quality during Republic of Ireland’s recent 1-0 victory against Finland in the Nations League game.
Kelleher’s heroics against Finland included a penalty save and a stunning stop on the rebound, proving his composure under pressure. The 25-year-old made several saves to keep his team ahead, receiving widespread praise from the media and his Nation’s heroes.
Kelleher has stepped up for Liverpool following Alisson Becker’s hamstring injury, which occurred before the October international break. Liverpool faced fixture congestion, beating tough opponents such as Chelsea, Aston Villa, and Brighton & Hove Albion in rapid succession.
Kelleher displayed calmness, making crucial saves that helped Liverpool maintain their defensive stability this season despite the big Alisson loss. The Reds have won 15 out of 17 games in all competitions with defence playing a key factor for them.
Liverpool have only conceded 10 goals from those 17 games, earning clean sheets against the likes of Leverkusen and Villa. Speaking to ITV Sport (via Liverpool Echo), Keane expressed his admiration and highlighted the ability of Liverpool star Kelleher to thrive at the top-most level. He said:
“Caoimhín is getting regular games. I was working with Martin [O’Neill] when we brought him in [to the Ireland set-up]. We liked him straight away from the first session. When you play for the big clubs and play in big games – he’s made one or two mistakes but he takes it in his stride. He’s getting the run of games now at Liverpool and I think he’s got a great chance. I like everything about him and the big bonus is he’s from Cork!”
The 25-year-old is not just filling in for Alisson but staking a genuine claim for more consistent starts. With Liverpool facing Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Newcastle United after the November international break, Kelleher’s role becomes more crucial.
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These fixtures will test his readiness to handle elite-level opponents in quick succession and maintain consistency for Liverpool to achieve something tangible. If he performs consistently in these games, calls for him to retain his starting role over Alisson might intensify. Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has inherited a formidable squad from Jurgen Klopp and would welcome this positive selection headache.
