Plaudits For Caoimhin
Alisson Becker, for many, is considered the best goalkeeper in the world. As a club, we are truly blessed to have such a wonderful keeper. We have all become comfortable knowing that we have the safest pair of hands in soccer. Unfortunately, Becker has become increasingly susceptible to injuries over the last few years, and he has been deputized by Caoimhin Kelleher.
READ MORE: The Most Significant Summer by Morgan O’Sullivan
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Classic Caoimhin
What is wrong with Caoimhin Kelleher? In the past, when the world’s number one goalkeeper was missing, a team would have genuine fear and concern about his backup. When the Liverpool second keeper plays now, people do not flinch. They are comfortable in the knowledge that Kelleher is in goal. The team performance does not change. The goals conceded do not change. Coming out and closing an attacker down or making a world-class save has become the norm.
Yet Kelleher never truly receives the recognition that he deserves. People can only see him as a deputy and as a number two. The club has similar thoughts going out of their way to recruit Giorgi Mamardashvili from Valencia. Yet we currently have a keeper that can slide in and replace the world’s number one. Very few notice any real difference in team performance. Last weekend he saved us from going two down against Brighton. Instead, Virgil van Dijk received all of the praise in the media for tracking the attacker back. Notwithstanding, it was Kelleher racing off his line to make the vital save.
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When keepers are reviewed and analyzed in the Premier League, success and teams are built on a top-quality keeper. The elite keepers are accepted to be Alisson, Ederson, and potentially Emi Martinez as a World Cup winner from Aston Villa. Aside from those 3, would Kelleher get into any other team ahead of their keeper? I would rate him above the English #1 Jordan Pickford and the United’s Andre Onana. I would play him in goal at Arsenal, Chelsea, and Spurs as well.
Another Challenger Has Entered The Arena
The reality is that Kelleher has reached the elite level of his profession. We have brought a young child over from Ireland and helped him grow and develop. We now treat him as an equal to the best keeper in the world. Time will move on and Kelleher will go next Summer. I hope he gets to go to one of the elite European clubs. Juventus had rumored interest last summer. We will get to see Mamardashvili at some point. If he is even 90% as good as Alisson, he’ll be granted world-class status.
Surely Caoimhin Kelleher deserves that respect too.
