Caoimhín Kelleher unsure on Liverpool future after rollercoaster season for the Reds

Macdara Ferris reports from FAI HQ in Abbotstown

Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher described football “like a rollercoaster at times - sometimes up and down” and that certainly summed up his club Liverpool’s season and his own one.

The 'keeper hasn’t decided whether to join the transfer merry-go-round in order to secure the number one postion at club level elsewhere but for the moment he is the number one with Ireland.

“I'm not sure on what is happening,” said Kelleher when asked about his future when he met with the media on Bank Holiday Monday in Dublin. “I'm still finishing the season and we will have conversations afterwards. I'm not sure yet. I need to play these few games.”

At international level this season he has earned four international caps – and with Gavin Bazunu’s back injury – will continue in goal in Ireland’s game with Ukraine on Wednesday.

With Liverpool he played he played two Premier League games for the Reds as they missed out only just on securing the title, played twice in Liverpool’s winning FA Cup run and he played a starring role for the Reds in the Carabao Cup. He played four times in that competition scoring the winning penalty in the shoot-out win over Chelsea. He was a sub in Paris for their Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid.

“At club level we won two trophies early on and at the end of the season it wasn't ideal losing the two finals. It taught me to not get too high on the highs or low on the lows but to keep that even keel.”

Reflecting on the League Cup win Kelleher said: “It was really special day for me to win a cup with such a big club like Liverpool – it was a great moment. When you do it once, you want to do it again and again and get that feeling again. That has given me great motivation to do it again.”

Loss to Armenia

Kelleher was training with the Liverpool squad right up to the Champions League final in late May unlike some of the other Ireland players who finished up with their clubs weeks before that. Kelleher insisted that rustiness, or indeed the 30+ degree temperatures in Yerevan, weren’t being used as excuses for Ireland’s 1-0 defeat to Armenia.

“I don't think there was a rustiness. It can be difficult with a few weeks off but we had a good week's training and were well prepared but it was one of those games where we didn't perform on the night. 

“It is very difficult (in the hot temperatures) but we can't use the conditions as an excuse. We had a few days there to adapt to the weather.

“It was disappointing that we didn't play our best. Dissapointing for the fans who made the long journey over there that we didn’t give them a result and a performance that they deserved.

“We probably didn't create enough clear cut chances to say we deserved to win. It isn't easy to play against a team who sit back behind the ball and defend like that. We didn't play our best.

“It was a great strike," said Kelleher about the Armenia goal. "We could have maybe done things to prevent it. Maybe getting up to the ball a bit quicker to get a block.”

Hold on

Kelleher had been given the nod by Stephen Kenny to start in Armenia on the eve of the game – his first competitive start - and with Bazunu ruled out for the rest of this camp, the Cork player will continue in goal with the visit of Ukraine to the Aviva Stadium on Wednesday.

“I wouldn't wish injury on anyone so it is unfortunate for Gavin. I want to get in, do a good job and try and hold on to the jersey.

“It is great to get games at international level. It is a very high level. It is really good for my development.

“We watched the last two Ukraine games and they are a good side, really good in possession. we need to be focused on the game and try and get a good result.

“We need to get back to winning ways and see where we can go from there. The result wasn't ideal on Saturday but there are a lot of games still to play. We have got some good results recently and will be looking to win every game left to top the group.” 

James Talbot called up to Ireland squad as Bazunu ruled out due to injury https://t.co/UwmbojMpVMpic.twitter.com/Qi04Ex6jgf

— Extratime.com (@ExtratimeNews) June 6, 2022