Liverpool’s backup goalkeeper, Caoimhin Kelleher, had a chat with the official club website about his blossoming LFC career, and his life away from the game.
Jürgen Klopp has called upon the 22-year-old Kelleher for a total of five first-team games this season when Alisson Becker has been unavailable – two matches in the Premier League, two in the Champions League, and the FA Cup clash at Aston Villa in January.
Speaking to Liverpoolfc.com, Kelleher admitted that others view him as someone with a quite laidback personality:
“I think I’m just quite laidback and chilled.
“My girlfriend always says to me, ‘Nothing fazes you.’ She kind of just laughs at me because I’m always just so chilled. I’ve always had that trait with me.
“I just like to get on with it and not be in the spotlight. If I had a choice, I wouldn’t be but it’s part and parcel of what comes with football.
“And I know if you do well on the big stage, you’re going to be in the spotlight. But it’s not something I particularly enjoy.
“I think I’m just normal. I’m normal, same as all the other lads really. The group is just down-to-earth, humble guys. That’s why we all gel together so well.
“I’ll probably be one of the quieter ones, I’ve always been a quieter one, but I get on well with all of the lads, we’ve good craic between all of us. I really enjoy my time in the dressing room.”
On his pre-match routine, Kelleher said:
“I just play some nice chilled-out music and just try to be relaxed and ready for the game.
“If you’re calm and composed, it gives that confidence throughout the team that they all trust you. Because you’re the goalie, everyone has to trust you and have full confidence in you.”
The young Irishman was also asked to discuss his interests off the pitch.
“My girlfriend is very good at Irish dancing, so I’ve been trying to learn a bit of that.
“I used to do it at school back home, so I’ve been trying to pick it up because I want to learn it again.
“I’ve actually been getting on quite good at it, so one day I want to be able to do a full dance or something like that.
“You have to have your feet in great coordination and be able to move them so quickly, so it definitely helps in terms of goalkeeping. It does me no harm.
“I won’t be showing it to anybody!
“I like to watch Masterchef, I’ve been watching that lately,” he admits. “I actually love it, to be honest. I just binge-watch it all the time. I can’t cook the best either, so I try to get some tips off that.
“I do love football and I surround myself with it a lot of the time – whether that’s going training, then coming home and maybe watching football. I am a bit like that, but I also like to just chill out as well and take my mind away from it.
“When we’re allowed, I like to go out and play a bit of golf and just go to the cinema, go out for some food – just normal stuff like that.”
Kelleher has been out of the squad in recent weeks having suffered an abdominal tear in training. He’s almost back to full fitness now, however, and could be back on the Liverpool bench in April.
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