REPUBLIC OF IRELAND goalkeeping great Shay Given has advised Caoimhín Kelleher to seek a loan move away from Liverpool.
Cork man Kelleher, now Liverpool’s established backup ‘keeper, is expected to start his third game in a row for Jurgen Klopp’s Reds in Thursday’s League Cup semi-final first leg against Arsenal.
But he remains firmly second choice to the world-class Brazilian Alisson, who at just 29 likely has plenty of road left to run between the sticks at Anfield.
Meanwhile, Kelleher is also playing second fiddle at international level to Gavin Bazunu, who is starting every game on loan at League One Portsmouth from Manchester City.
And Donegal native Given, who early in his storied career was loaned out to both Swindon Town and Sunderland by Blackburn before becoming a Premier League starter at Newcastle in his early 20s, believes Kelleher should follow a similar path if he is to fulfil his obvious potential.
“He’s in a bit of a predicament, is Kelleher,” Given told Premier Sports. “He’s not a kid anymore. 23 is an age where I think he should be playing regular first-team football.
“I’m trying to bring myself back to when I was that age and I’m not sure how many games I would have played, but I think he has only played 14 games.
“The biggest problem he has is that Alisson is ahead of him. Alisson is in the prime of his life and could be for the next five or six years.
“Does Kelleher sit there and be happy as a number two? They’ve got Adrian who can sit on the bench and back [Alisson] up.
“For me, it’s so important to play games. He has been training there for a few years and signed a new five-year contract last summer, so he is part of the club’s long-term future. Even from a Liverpool point of view, they need to get him out playing, get him that experience, then bring him back and get him challenging Alisson.”
Given, who earned a goalkeeper-record 134 caps for Ireland, added:
If it was me, I’d be knocking Klopp’s door down, I really would. I’d be saying that I need to go out on loan, go and play. January is a time to do that. I’d be on to my agent and manager to get me playing games.
