Arne Slot, the coach of Liverpool, has expressed understanding towards the disgruntlement of the Republic of Ireland goalkeeper, Caoimhín Kelleher, for not receiving enough play time in the first team at Anfield. Kelleher, who was amongst the 10 players from Liverpool that played for a total of 90 minutes in two internationals, has voiced out his intention to leave the club in pursuit of more time on the pitch.
The 25-year-old from Cork who is second to Alisson Becker could be facing a bigger challenge following the club’s acquisition of Giorgi Mamardashvili, from Georgia, before sending him on loan to Valencia till the coming summer.
Nottingham Forest displayed interest in Kelleher during the most recent transfer window and Slot concurs that players have the desire to play. Slot states it would be a greater concern if a player stated that he was content with just sitting on the bench and expressed no interest in playing in the first team.
Slot reiterated that Becker is the current top choice and he’s managing the situation commendably. In view of the Champions League’s requirements, Slot understands the necessity to rotate his team more than he has done earlier in his career.
Forest is scheduled to visit Anfield on Saturday, marking the beginning of seven games within 22 days. Slot has made only one change in his starting XI in the first three games, replacing Jarell Quansah with Ibrahima Konate.
However, while at Feyenoord, Slot did not often make changes to his team due to limited resources. He believes he might reconsider his approach, but the players’ physical abilities will greatly influence his decision.
In their initial trio of matches, the team demonstrated impressive physical prowess, despite only participating in a game once per week. However, they now find themselves needing to make a statement. It is assumed that each player has the desire to partake in each match, and if so, their skill and work rate must be consistently showcased.
As the coach, I have the luxury of a squad containing more than 11 highly capable players to call upon. The international break might impact my decisions for the forthcoming contest against Forest, particularly with several team members having just returned from South America. Nonetheless, I can assure that there are no pressing issues regarding our Argentinian midfielder, Alexis Mac Allister.
Indeed, Mac Allister sat out the previous match but rejoined us in training yesterday. I anticipate his presence in tomorrow’s game. With our less frequently utilised players gaining invaluable time on the field, the international break proved to be a boon.
There were instances where I felt elated that they got to play the full 90 minutes. It felt like a gift from the majority of the national team coaches. Perhaps in coming time, I might wish for circumstances to change slightly, however, as of now, it is a testament to the high standards that we maintain as we have 10 players who can go the full distance with their respective national teams.
However, it wasn’t all good news. A key setback during the break was the foot injury sustained by Harvey Elliott, a player who has only been on the pitch for club football for seven minutes this season, whilst on England under-21 duty. The injury presents an unfortunate setback for both him and us as a club, especially considering the crucial role he might have played in the approaching fixtures. His loss, however, opens up an opportunity for another player.