Liverpool star urged to quit Anfield - even if he has to force his way out
EXCLUSIVE: Former Premier League goalkeeper Shay Given believes Caoimhin Kelleher must leave Liverpool for the good of his career, even if it means he has to force a transfer
Republic of Ireland legend Shay Given has urged Caoimhin Kelleher to quit Liverpool - even if he has to force his departure from Anfield.
Given, the 48-year-old from County Donegal who made 134 appearances for his country over the course of two decades, believes Kelleher has what it takes to become a world-class keeper. But he reckons the 25-year-old must first step out of the shadow of Brazilian star Alisson Becker at Liverpool.
Kelleher is once again deputising for the Reds after Alisson suffered a hamstring injury - but Kop boss Arne Slot has confirmed that the Irishman will once again be back on the bench once his top choice is fit.
And Given said: “Caoimhin played 26 games last season and in that time he showed that he has the talent to be a No 1 in the Premier League. But he turns 26 later this month and, if I am brutally honest, he needs to get away from Liverpool if he wants that to happen.
“Kelleher would have been disappointed to hear Slot state publicly that Alisson will always be his first choice keeper because everyone wants to go into training every day with the belief that they are fighting for a place in the team.
“Every professional footballer has to have that hope that if they get a place in the team and perform well then they will keep the jersey. Caoimhin hasn’t got that. It has been made clear to him that he will always be behind Alisson - and let’s be honest he is up against a guy who is one of the best in the world.
“Caoimhin turns 26 later this month. He’s done his time at Liverpool. That’s no disrespect to a brilliant club but they are now starting to think that they can’t hold Kelleher back for much longer because he is a quality player.
“Maybe Caoimhin has been too nice about it up to now because sometimes you do have to force the issue. That isn’t a nice situation. He has been very loyal to Liverpool and he won’t want to upset the fans.
“But at the same time, you only have one career, one life and one opportunity to make the most of what you’ve got. Ten years down the road he could be 36 and people are talking about him as being over the hill.”
Given had a similar dilemma during his own career. The Irishman found it tough to dislodge title-winning keeper Tim Flowers after he had emerged through the ranks at Blackburn.
So he rejected the offer of a new contract to sign for Newcastle - and then spent the next 12 years at St James’ Park before spells with Manchester City, Aston Villa, Middlesbrough and Stoke.
Kelleher will be between the sticks for Ireland when they meet England in the Nations League at Wembley - but he will have a decision to make at the end of the season after Liverpool priced him out of a move away from Anfield last summer.
Given said: “Blackburn offered me a new contract which would have been much better for me financially - but I said ‘no’ because Tim Flowers was England’s No 1 and he was a brilliant keeper. I was only 21 but I wanted to play football - and to do that I knew my career lay elsewhere.
“Caoimhin is five years older and he’s now at a stage where he has to be playing every single week. I look at him and think ‘this guy’s the real deal. He proved last season over a long period of time that he is top quality. I’m sure there’s a number of Premier League clubs who are looking at him.
“He is ripe, fully cooked, and ready to flourish. Caoimhin made an error when Ireland lost in Greece, but he went back to Anfield and it didn’t faze him. What goes on between your ears is a big part of the game, but Kelleher has shown that mentally he is very sound by the way he reacted to that error.”
Shay Given is a brand ambassador for sports betting platform CopyBet. Visit CopyBet.com
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