CAOIMHÍN KELLEHER HAS confirmed he wants to leave Liverpool and establish himself as a first-choice goalkeeper elsewhere.
Kelleher impressed in Ireland’s 2-0 loss to England on Saturday, in what was his first game of the new season. Having made 26 appearances for Liverpool last season during Alisson Becker’s injury absence, Kelleher has once again found himself on the bench from the start of this season under new manager Arne Slot.
Liverpool have also signed a new goalkeeper, Georgia’s Giorgi Mamardashvili, who will arrive at the club next summer.
Speaking at a press conference at Irish training ahead of tomorrow’s Nations League clash with Greece, Kelleher said Liverpool rejected offers for him during the summer transfer window and added his club future is not solely in his hands. One of those bids came from Nottingham Forest.
“I made it clear in the last few years I want to go be a number one and play week in, week out”, said Kelleher. “The club made the decision to get another goalkeeper. From the outside looking in, it looks like they have made a decision to go in another direction.
“My ambition has always been clear the last few seasons that I want to be a number one, playing week in week out. Sometimes from the outside looking in, it looks like it is 100 per cent my decision but at times it is not always in my hands.”
Asked whether he came close to leaving Liverpool during the summer, Kelleher said, “My mission was to go out and play, and be a number one. It has been reported that Liverpool had rejected a few bids as well. It is not always in my hands to make the decision. My ambition is to prove I am good enough to play week in, week out.”
Kelleher is likely to remain Irish number one at least for the rest of the Nations League campaign, with Gavin Bazunu ruled out through injury.
Getting another keeper in was a real kick in the teeth for someone who could of left earlier but showed loyalty. Hope he gets away sooner rather than later
He was faultless on Saturday and kept the score down. We could easily have been 4-0 down at half time. Not sure what poor Ronnie was smoking when he didn’t give him the Irish player of the match.
It is not nice that he has to speak out like this publicly. Liverpool haven’t treated him well at all.
I have little time for the opinions of Ronnie Whelan as a pundit, no doubt a wonderful player in his time. Of course both Kelleher and Ogbene were truly wonderful in a team showing little ability.
I cannot understand, how Scales was left on bench while O’Brien was chosen. I was scared because of his physical clumsy tackles, that the ref would reach for his red card. Knight was not selected to start, so I was amazed at the selected team to commence. O’Shea was not thinking very well when he submitted this line out to take the pitch. Idah needs to realise he is in a match and get out there and do some serious work. If not he will be a forgotten player very soon.
@David O’ Connell: totally agree. Think Kelleher has been shafted by Liverpool
@Daithi Mc Ghiollamhairtin: I doubt that, I think they have an agreement that he’ll go after this season and he’s just letting every other club know it in plenty of time, getting the bidding going nice and early, that’s why they have lined up another keeper and keeping him warm at another club in the meantime.
@Der Calnan: I meant more in the sense that I reckon he was told and had the legitimate expectation that he’d be Alison’s successor