In a recent program, former Liverpool goalkeeper coach John Achterberg gave high praise to his team's young goalkeeper Kelleher, and even believed that he had surpassed Manchester United's top goalkeeper David De Gea in some aspects.Coach Achterberg's words undoubtedly injected a new impetus into Kelleher's career, and also triggered a hot debate among fans and the media.
Coach Achterberg recalls, "Five years ago, when Kelleher was still struggling with his chances of playing, I told him that you have more skill and ability than De Gea. Your ball striking, reactions and overall performance were excellent, but the only problem was that you needed more games to prove yourself. I always believe that you have the potential to be a top goalkeeper."
Coach Achterberg is excited about Kelleher's future. He said, "I hope Kelleher will take the next step and go to a team that will give him more chances to play. He deserves to be the number one goalkeeper and he has the ability to show his talent on a higher stage. Imagine if Liverpool could have two top goalkeepers like Kelleher and Alisson at the same time, it would be a more powerful setup than ever before in the history of our team. It's not just a dream, I believe Kelleher has the ability to make this a reality."
Kelleher, 25, has made 47 appearances for Liverpool since breaking into the first team in the summer of 2019, conceding 59 goals and completing 15 shutouts in that time. While these stats are still some way off from top goalkeepers such as Alisson, Kelleher's performances have been good enough considering his substitute role in the team and his limited playing time.
With Coach Achterberg's support and the attention of the fans, Kelleher's future is undoubtedly full of possibilities. Whether he chooses to stay at Liverpool as Alisson's replacement or move to another team to seek more playing opportunities, we have reason to believe that the young goalkeeper will continue to shine and bring more surprises to the fans in the coming games.
