Ireland manager predicts Kelleher to leave Liverpool – ‘He knows’

Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny has admitted that goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher needs to leave Liverpool this summer in order to fulfil his potential. The 24-year-old is currently in competition with Gavin Bazunu for the role of Ireland’s number one and has only made four club appearances for Liverpool last season. Kenny believes that Kelleher should find a new club in order to get regular playing time. He said, “It’s not right normally to speak about a player moving, but he’s at the stage where he’s behind probably one of the best goalkeepers in the world and it’s not going to get any easier. He can’t afford not playing. He knows that and he’s known that for a while. It’s not easy. There’s a process you go through with a club like that and I think and it wouldn’t be a surprise for him to move in the summer, and he knows that. I think he’s ready to go and play regularly because he needs to. It’s hard to leave Liverpool, it’s such an iconic club, but he’s not so young now. He’s 24 and he needs to play and he knows that.” Kenny also discussed the difficulty of having three keepers at Premier League clubs who are all struggling for regular playing time. He expressed optimism that 21-year-old Bazunu’s confidence would not be affected by his experience at Southampton, saying “He’s done remarkable, really, in a short career, Gavin as well. For one so young, he’s done remarkably well. He’s always looked very confident playing for us.”