Caiomhin Kelleher Has Made His Case - He Deserves to Be Liverpool's Backup Goalkeeper

If you still don't know how to pronounce Caiomhin Kelleher's name, then consider this your notice to look it up.

Because you'll be seeing a lot more of him very soon.

The young Irishman has had to bite his tongue and bide his time. It's difficult for any young player emerging on the scene at Liverpool, but while the likes of Curtis Jones and Neco Williams have seen plenty of game-time through squad rotation and substitute cameos, the keeper has not had that luxury - for obvious reasons.

Any outfield player who delivered a string of performances as assured and commanding as Kelleher's in last season's EFL Cup run would have been rewarded with a more regular place in the team. They certainly wouldn't expect to go the following ten months without another minute on the pitch.

Yet February's FA Cup victory over Shrewsbury was his last appearance prior to Tuesday evening.

It had been coming, granted. Eagle-eyed viewers would have noticed that it had been he, and not Adrian, who was named on the bench for each of their prior Champions League appearances. Alisson's blotchy injury record meant that was no empty gesture.

His time came when a minor hamstring issue ruled the Brazilian out of the key tie with Ajax, and any doubts that existed over the 22-year-old's pedigree as a stand-in stopper were soon dispelled.

He caught the eye with an array of Hollywood saves but it would have been the nuts and bolts of his game that impressed Jurgen Klopp the most. He was loud, communicative and commanding, not afraid to give his more experienced central defenders an earful when they needed it - all aspects that have been notably missing from Adrian's game in then Spaniard's recent appearances.

From the off it was clear he was a keeper playing with confidence. He was busy, with at least four big saves to make and plenty of tidying up to do behind a relatively skittish make-shift defence. But he was decisive in everything he did, whether it was coming off his line to clear or taking responsibility for a cross.

By full-time you could visibly see that composure reflected in those in front of him, and that is the mark of a top keeper in the making.

Jurgen Klopp's assessment of the situation urged caution. He praised Kelleher to the heavens but equally gushed over Adrian's professionalism at yielding his spot to the prodigy - if that's not indicative of a good environment for a young goalkeeper to thrive then I'm not sure what is.

“Caoimhin is a sensationally talented goalie," he told Liverpool's website. "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."

It's not a slight on Adrian to say that Kelleher already looks a better, more assured goalkeeper. The 33-year-old is not defined by a handful of errors - he has been a fine backup to Alisson and his value as a popular, experienced member of the squad is evident to anyone with half a clue about the inner workings of the club. He shouldn't be moved on as some FIFA-dwelling fans would tell you - but he should be phased out gradually to make way for a new number two.

At 22, both Kelleher and the club will benefit from every 90 minutes he gets on the pitch. They don't appear to lose anything by starting him over his more established counter-part - if anything the opposite is true. All the evidence suggests he should be in the team to face Wolves on Sunday night, then we'll take it from there.