Paul Fennessy

NOT MANY Irish players emerged from the international break with credit, but Caoimhín Kelleher was one of the few who impressed.

The 25-year-old was particularly strong against England, where some good saves kept the scoreline down.

After the back-to-back 2-0 defeats, Heimir Hallgrímsson lamented Ireland’s lack of confidence, and so, perhaps the fact that the standout player is an individual who cannot get game time at club level is telling.

Moreover, the latest international break may be more memorable for Kelleher’s words than his actions.

“I made it clear in the last few years I want to go be a number one and play week in, week out,” Kelleher told reporters in the build-up to the Greece game. “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% my decision but at times it is not always in my hands.”

This is not the first time Kelleher has lamented his club situation.

Last May, the Cork native strongly hinted he would leave the club and suggested his rival for the number one spot Alisson had been “the best goalkeeper in the world” for years.

In June 2023, then-Ireland manager Stephen Kenny said: “It looks like he’ll be on the move this summer, and it can only benefit him because he needs to play games. Obviously, he’s not started games this year and it’s been a problem for him. He’s very, very talented.”

Had things worked out differently, Kelleher might have been lining out at Anfield yesterday for the opposition.

Nottingham Forest were interested in signing the Irish goalkeeper during the latest transfer window.

But the Reds reportedly rejected a player plus cash offer that did not come close to their £25 million to £30 million (€29.6 million to €35.5 million) valuation of the player.

This predicament means Kelleher will turn 26 in November having still not established himself as a first-choice goalkeeper at club level.

From an Irish perspective, it is especially frustrating that a player of his ability can find himself in this situation. Although he is far from the only member of Hallgrímsson’s squad who has suffered owing to a lack of game time of late.

Liverpool are reluctant to part with the man often perceived as the best backup goalkeeper in the Premier League.

If Alisson picks up an injury — as happened last season — they have a reliable replacement ready to go.

However, in August, the club signed 23-year-old Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili — who has over 100 appearances for Valencia — for a deal worth up to £29 million (€34 million).

Liverpool's recent signing of Giorgi Mamardashvili could eventually pave the way for Kelleher's exit. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

As part of the deal, it was agreed that Mamardashvili would stay in Spain this season before moving to Merseyside ahead of the 2025-26 campaign.

That presumably paves the way for Kelleher’s long-awaited exit next summer.

Although it also more than likely means another 12 months of primarily sitting on the bench for the Irish international.

That this saga has been allowed to develop might prompt questions for Kelleher’s advisors.

The goalkeeper’s assertion that his Liverpool future has been “not always in my hands” is undoubtedly true, but it was to some degree.

Kelleher had a big decision to make in June 2021. He was 22 and had just made his senior Ireland debut against Hungary.

Alisson was already well established as the club’s number one by then — three years previously, he became the world’s most expensive goalkeeper after signing for £66.8 million (€72.5 million).

It was not a decision to be taken lightly but in the end, he opted to sign a long-term contract at Anfield.

It is easy to understand why he made the choice. Football is a precarious industry and the high potential for injury means a career can end in an instant.

The stability provided by this lengthy contract would have been huge not only for the Ringmahon Rovers graduate but for his family too.

So for Kelleher the person, it was perhaps the best option, if not necessarily the footballer.

That said, he has enjoyed some memorable moments since then, notably starring in the League Cup final victory over Chelsea last season.

But the downsides were also obvious. Barring injury, the Irish star taking Alisson’s place always appeared highly unlikely.

And so it proved. In six seasons as part of Liverpool’s first-team squad, Kelleher has made 15 Premier League appearances — less than half a season.

By contrast, his international colleague Gavin Bazunu, who is over three years younger, has 150 league appearances. And that number would be higher were it not for the long-term injury that has kept the Dubliner out of action recently.

Perhaps that is one of the reasons why a club haven’t pushed the boat out to sign Kelleher — they haven’t seen enough of the goalkeeper playing at the highest level.

During the week, Liverpool boss Arne Slot was asked about Kelleher’s comments on international duty.

“I would be really worried if a player came out and said, ‘I don’t care about playing first-team football, I like it so much on the bench and want to stay there for the rest of my life,’” the manager said.

“But at this moment it is quite clear that Alisson is the number one. He is handling the situation really well.”

These words will be little consolation to Kelleher, nor Hallgrímsson.

The manager could do with a goalkeeper playing regularly ahead of some crucial upcoming Nations League games that will play a big part in determining Ireland’s seeding for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

And with Gavin Bazunu out injured until 2025 and potentially relegated to back-up goalkeeper following Southampton’s recent recruitment of Aaron Ramsdale, it seems Kelleher is the only viable option for the games ahead.