Few Irish players will have come out of the most recent international window with any positive feelings, though goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher is one of them.
The Corkman was steadfast in goal against both England and Greece and, even with back-to-back 2-0 defeats, came out with his head held high having prevented both games from reaching even uglier scorelines.
However, this international window may be remembered more for Kelleher's comments off the pitch, in which he made clear he was unhappy not to be playing regular first-team football at Liverpool.
Kelleher has been a senior player at Anfield since 2019 but, with Alisson firmly established at the club, has struggled for regular minutes. The decision to sign Georgian up-and-comer Giorgi Mamardashvili does not instil too much confidence that the club see Kelleher as a long-term option.
"I made it clear in the last few years that I want to go somewhere and be a number one," Kelleher told the Irish media this week. "The club has made that decision to get a goalkeeper (Mamardashvili) which makes it look like they’ve made a decision to go another direction.
"Liverpool have rejected a few bids as well. It’s not always in my hands to fully make the decision. My ambition is clear. I’m good enough and I want to go and play week in, week out."
Kelleher's comments confirmed that a move had been on the cards, after rumours of interest from rival Premier League sides.
Last season could have been a push-off point for Kelleher, as he excelled while deputising for Alisson midway through the campaign. Now, it seems as though he may be stuck in a form of limbo, something Arne Slot acknowledged at his press conference on Friday morning.
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Arne Slot responds to Caoimhín Kelleher comments
10 September 2024; Kostas Tsimikas of Greece and Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher in conversation after the UEFA Nations League B Group 2 match between Republic of Ireland and Greece at Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Piaras Ó Midheach/Sportsfile
Liverpool manager Slot was asked to respond to Caoimhín Kelleher's remarks during the international break.
Slot joked that he would much rather have a player unhappy with not playing than vice versa, before acknowledging that Kelleher's concerns were valid.
Nonetheless, he also suggested that he saw Kelleher as a key squad player, saying that his group needed "more than 11 players that can play."
I will be really worried if a player comes out saying, 'I don't care about playing first team football, I like it so much on the bench I want to stay there for the rest of my life.' That would be a big worry for me.
It's normal that they want to play but it's also normal that a club like this that tries to compete for trophies has more than 11 players that can play. As long as they accept their situation - not "accept" in a way that "I don't care that I'm not playing," but accepting it by helping the team whenever they have to, then it's a good place to be in.
I think Caoimh has shown many times in the past few years and even in pre-season that he's every time ready when we need him. It's a good thing that he wants to play.
Who knows if he's going to play for us in the future. At this moment, I think it's also quite clear that Alisson is the number one but last season [Kelleher] played many games.
It's a normal situation for a player to be in - if you're not playing, you want to play. But he handles the situation really well.
Slot's comments echo those of former manager Jurgen Klopp in January.
Just before Alisson's injury forced Klopp's hand in playing Kelleher week-in-week-out, the Liverpool boss admitted that he had not seen Kelleher "smiling a lot," with frustration appearing to bubble at his lack of game time.
However, things would change for the Corkonian shortly after that, with a run of games seeing him help the club to another EFL Cup triumph and push for the Premier League title.
It was only in February that Kelleher said he felt he had been justified in staying at Liverpool, after finally getting a regular run in the first team. Now, the Irishman will surely be pondering his future at the club.
Giorgi Mamardashvili is clearly seen as a long-term part of the plans at Anfield, but the club also seem disinterested in entertaining offers for Kelleher's services - leaving him in a sort of limbo.
After a period in early 2024 that seemed to have changed the game for Caoimhín Kelleher, it seems as though the Irish goalkeeper is back at square one.
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