Jürgen Klopp on Caoimhin Kelleher, Adrian and No.2 position
Jürgen Klopp today discussed the likelihood of Caoimhin Kelleher continuing as Liverpool's goalkeeper for Sunday's clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Republic of Ireland stopper made his Champions League debut against AFC Ajax on Tuesday night and performed impressively to secure a clean sheet in a 1-0 win.
It was Kelleher’s fifth senior appearance for the Reds, though his first outside the domestic cup competitions.
With Alisson Becker not ready to return from a hamstring injury, the boss was asked at his pre-Wolves press conference whether Kelleher will retain the gloves this weekend.
“He looked good but he’s a really calm person and he will not be now flying the whole of the week. He is a hard worker and there’s no doubt that he will deal with all the fuss around him really well,” replied Klopp.
“It was a big call to throw him into that game but thank God, it worked out. That’s unfortunately not always the case, that doesn’t make the players worse, it is just the wrong timing of the manager.
“For him it was right, that’s good. Now we will see how we carry on.”
Klopp was later quizzed on Kelleher’s status within the goalkeeping department and if the 22-year-old has done enough to establish himself as No.2 to Alisson.
“Yes, he has but in life you have to prove things,” said the boss. “That’s unfortunately like this.
“Caoimhin is a sensationally talented goalie. And for goalies it’s really difficult, goalies have to wait. They can be exceptional but they have to wait for their chance because there’s only one goalie on the pitch and if this goalie plays for 10 years in a row, it’s pretty difficult. You can be still a wonderful goalie and nobody will see.
“Now he got the chance and I think he convinced everybody. He didn’t have to convince us, obviously – we thought it will be like this. But he convinced everybody, that’s good.
“But Adrian doesn’t deserve just to be written off now, there’s no reason for that. He supported Caoimhin in an exceptional way. After he got the information that he would not start, he behaved unbelievably. Really, really a lot of respect for that. He expected it actually, but anyway a lot of respect for it.
“And Caoimhin did well. So, there are not a lot of reasons I could mention in this moment to say he will not start against Wolves, but there is training in between and other things, he has to stay fit, we have sessions. All this kind of stuff.
“But he has done enough to convince me, but he did that already months and years ago. Sometimes you have to wait for the right moment and we thought the right moment came on Tuesday.”