Irish Daily Star - Inside Sport
GLOVE AT FIRST SIGHT
Achterberg’s got no doubts about Kelleher
NOBODY has played a bigger role in Caoimhin Kelleher’s career to date than John Achterberg.
So when the Liverpool goalkeeping coach categorically states that the Corkman could play in any Premier League team, you know that it’s no idle talk.
Barring an injury to Alisson Becker, Kelleher will take his place on the Liverpool bench tomorrow evening at the City Ground for his club’s FA Cup quarter-final against Nottingham Forest.
But events in the past 15 months — particularly in recent times — amply illustrate that Jurgen Klopp would have no qualms on starting Kelleher in goal if the need arose.
Penalty
It’s only a few weeks since the 23-year-old again impressed in his side’s League Cup final win over Chelsea when, amidst dramatic scenes, he scored the winning penalty in an 11-10 shootout success.
It may have only been Kelleher’s 17th first team appearance but his calmness in converting the pressure-cooker spot-kick and his earlier excellent 120 minutes’ work showed that the upward trajectory of his career is set fair.
“I think that Caoimh could play in any Premier League team as a starter,” says Achterberg in a matter of fact way that underlines just how highly Kelleher is regarded at a club that, with Manchester City, is driving English club football to new heights.
“This is a credit to what he has shown for us. Caoimhin works very hard in training every day and shows the level that he is at.
“You can see the respect that his teammates have for him — you can ask the players.
“I asked one or two players in the first team when Caoimhin first played in the side.
“The players always say ‘Yes, there is no doubt about it’. They all like him the way he is.
“They say that there are times when he is unbelievable in training, that he cannot be beaten. They all know this and you see what you see in training.
“This is why we put him into the side for the Champions League game against Ajax last season when he had to go into the match without much experience.
“We felt that he deserved the chance and that he fitted the way that we play.
“He showed in against Ajax and then against Wolves in the league a few days later.
“It was the same when we played Chelsea in the league this season. Ali was Covid positive.
“So we played Caoimhin in the League Cup final.
“If you can do this at the top level and he also played well against Hungary for Ireland.
“He also got the chance against Qatar when he was not too busy but everything he had to do he did well.
“We could not fault him in anything so long may it continue.
“If you wish to succeed in football then you must be on it every day. And this what Caoimhin has been doing.”
Focus
Achterberg prefers to focus on the present rather than speculate on how long Kelleher will remain satisfied with his role as second choice at Liverpool to Alisson.
“At the moment Caoimhin is in a good place. Anything can happen in that way, it’s difficult to judge .
“Obviously it’s for Caoimhin to judge, we need to provide him with good training and get him games here and there to make sure that when he is called up he is ready to play.
“We are really happy with the situation because at a club like Liverpool there are so many games you need two top goalies. Actually you need three to compete at this level.
“We have three with Adrian as the number three now. We are really happy with this.”
Kelleher’s ice-cool approach to the game has been noted by pundits but it’s his incredible reflexes that are his most valuable asset, believes Achterberg.
“His speed and reactions are so good because the main thing is to keep the ball out of the net with his reactions.
“They are from a different level as he shows day in, day out in training.
“It’s why he started in the competition with Kamil Grabara and then overtook Kamil in his positioning.
“Of course he was then promoted last year from number three keeper to number two goalie. We sold Kamil last summer even when he was the Poland under-21 keeper.
Produce
“Caoimhin has produced every time when he has been asked to produce. He has made good steps which is perfect.
“He is a calm person and a humble person, which helps.
“If you are a keeper at the
highest level you have to be calm.
“He is also learning from Ali who is a pretty calm presence.
“He has not played too many games for the national team but hopefully in the future he can make his stake and show everybody who good he can be.
“We all have the confidence in him and that was shown when we put him into the final team last month. He had done so well and the plan was for him to play all the League Cup games.
“The boss stuck with it and played him.”
It was July 2015 when Kelleher made the move from Cork’s Ringmahon Rangers to Anfield. Liverpool were working on earlier information supplied by the keeper’s Ireland under-16 teammate Conor Masterson — then with the Liverpool academy — to check out the quiet teenager.
“One of our academy goalie coaches, Mark Morris, had watched him on trial at Manchester United. He said that Caoimhin was moving well so he was worth looking at.
Mobile
“So Caoimhin came over to us on trial and I went to watch him train one evening. It was a good idea to bring him in because he was not too expensive.
“Caoimhin was pretty mobile and moved athletically and the only issue was that he was not fully grown. But signing him was not a big gamble as he was not too expensive.
“Matt Newbury, the head scout at the academy, negotiated with Caoimhin’s club and spoke to Caoimhin and his mum to see if he wanted to join the club at that time.
“In the end it was between us and Aston Villa as to who was going to sing him. Thankfully, he chose us.
“You could see that we needed to improve the technical side of his game.
“But you only had to look at him to know that he played and still plays in the way that we like to play.
“You can work on all the tactics and all the technical skills over the years before he is ready for the first team.
“We thought that he could do this while realising that he still needed to grow because at the time he was not that tall.
“But we felt that because he was in a good athletic shape that he would get taller. Caoimhin has been working very hard to improve on all the details we have tried to help him with.”
Kelleher signed a new five-year deal last summer while Alisson committed himself until 2027, leaving Klopp in the happy position of managing a club with his number one spot amply covered.
If some keepers have traditionally been portrayed as the eccentric members of squads, Kelleher cuts a different profile.
Growing
“Caoimhin is growing and he is not as quiet as when he came to the club. Basically, he is always focused and calm in what he does.
“Some people are louder but I like his personality. He is a really humble guy and an honest guy who works hard.
“You cannot complain about anything about him.
“So all the attributes that you need as a top goalie, he has them.”
‘Caoimh could play in any Premier League team as a starter’