In London on Monday to firm up his switch from Liverpool to Brentford, the goalkeeper was back in situ in Abbotstown the next day for training before news of his five-year deal finally emerged.
Caoimhín Kelleher transfer brings buzz to low-key Ireland summer camp
BUZZING: Brentford have completed the signing of Cork native Caoimhín Kelleher from Liverpool. Pic: Brentford.
It wouldn’t be a June window without absences and distractions. Caoimhin Kelleher has provided both ahead of the Republic of Ireland’s pair of friendlies with Senegal and Luxembourg and not a soul is complaining.
In London on Monday to firm up his switch from Liverpool to Brentford, the goalkeeper was back in situ in Abbotstown the next day for training before news of his five-year deal finally emerged from his new Premier League employers.
Ireland assistant manager John O’Shea faced the same sort of decision a generation ago when, after over a decade hoovering up medals at Old Trafford, a dwindling of first-team opportunities prompted him to leave Manchester United for Sunderland.
Speaking before Kelleher’s news became official, O’Shea was already sure that Ireland are in good hands.
“It's not an easy thing for him to do. He's proven the quality that he has every time he's been asked to go in as the number one for Liverpool, the run of games that he's shown, that he's been able to show the consistency…
“He's shown when he's had a run that they haven't missed Alisson when he’s been injured. That's what the whole of Europe and the whole of the world has seen when CaoimhÍn has been in goal for Liverpool. So whatever happens, I'm sure we'll get the benefit of it.”
Manager Heimir Hallgrimsson has stated consistently that every player’s club situation is different while confirming an overriding preference for his men to bank as much game time as possible.
O’Shea seconded that.
Kelleher as a first-choice Premier League player firms up the impression of a national side with lots of defensive options. If there has been headway made in terms of the forward line, then the stagnation of Evan Ferguson’s career is still a cause for frustration.
A loan spell at West Ham United didn’t go as hoped although the teenager impressed with Ireland in the spring. He has “trained excellently” the last few days, according to O’Shea who highlighted the need for players to keep doing what they do best regardless of circumstance.
“I mentioned it in March: it's just a case that you can't sit and sulk about it. The Premier League is that elite level that at the minute … You see all the teams already trying to get players in, trying to get business done early.
“If they can, the competition, you have to be at it and on it every day possible, doing everything you can. And if you do that and you're not getting in the team, you hold your hands up and you say fair enough.”
Ireland have no injury concerns among the men called to arms this week, which is just as well given the number of Championship players already given the summer off for a spot of R&R and the low-key nature of the month’s business.
There isn’t a huge to-do list against Senegal and Luxembourg. A pair of losses wouldn’t be ideal given the momentum built up against Bulgaria in March and those qualifiers to come in September, but this is really about small gains.
Some of the new faces will get a run and who knows what that may bring.
“Listen, if we get players to have an impact this week in the friendlies that suddenly help us qualify or score a goal to qualify for us for the World Cup, I think you'll say it was definitely worthwhile,” said O’Shea.
Killian Phillips and John Joe Patrick Finn are two big men who will look to make an impression in the middle if given the chance and Josh Honohan has been “having a good battle “ with Festy Ebosele in training.
The coaches speak about how players need to show their personalities. The harsh fact of it is that opportunities can be fleeting and even signs of real promise can be superseded by obstacles further down the path.
Kasey McAteer and Bosun Lawal, for example, both made inroads with Ireland in the last 12 months. Both have since found injuries hampering their hopes of building on that with Leicester City and Stoke City respectively.
There will be no Sadio Mane on the Senegal side on Friday evening but the visitors still boast a side of some class with players assembled from eleven different countries. Four of them come from England’s Premier League.
As friendlies go, it beats Qatar or New Zealand.
“They will have different attributes, but also they have that quality of maybe a top European team that can hurt you on transition attacks, technical ability, speed. So we have to be very careful in terms of when we are attacking, that we're not leaving ourselves vulnerable.
“They have that pace and power to hurt you. They've obviously been on a very good run themselves too, a run of form. So don't concede too many goals. It'll be a very good test for the lads.”
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Republic of Ireland Training Session and Media Conference
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