NewsCaoimhin Kelleher on changes, targets and Arne Slot impact so far
“We want to push on,” insists Caoimhin Kelleher as the goalkeeper looks towards his 10th season as a Liverpool player.
The No.62 arrived on Merseyside back in 2015 and has gone on to make 47 appearances at senior level to date, with 26 of those coming last term.
Kelleher is among the players who began pre-season work for 2024-25 last week, with both a new head coach in Arne Slot and now a change in the goalkeeping department with the appointment of Fabian Otte.
“It’s been really good, really enjoyable,” the Republic of Ireland international told Liverpoolfc.com of life under Slot at the AXA Training Centre so far.
“Obviously the first few days were just testing and stuff, then we got into the actual training sessions, which have been really good.
“[Slot] has been excellent so far. A lot of detail to what he wants us to do, there’s a lot of stuff to take onboard but he gets his messages across really well and easy to understand as well, which is helpful. His sessions are intense and he pushes us, which is always good.
“It has been really enjoyable so far, I must say.”
The last campaign saw the Reds lift the Carabao Cup – with Kelleher between the posts for the final at Wembley – and secure a return to Champions League football with a third-placed finish in the Premier League.
And he feels confident the foundations are there for Liverpool to build on in the season ahead.
“The bones of the squad is still there and we want to push on,” said the 25-year-old. “It’s not a rebuild or anything like that, it’s just finding those little extra things that can hopefully push us on and get us over the line to win some more trophies.
“[My targets are] similar to last year really. Obviously I had a lot of games last season, which was really good. So just looking to do the same really and keep the same level of performance as well.”
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Watch on YouTubeA smile forms across Kelleher’s face as he thinks back to the teenager who first walked through the club’s doors nine years ago.
“It’s obviously been such a long time now since I came over when I was 16. Time flies, I’ve enjoyed every minute here, to be fair,” he said.
“I just want to try to keep going and going on that upward trajectory. It’s been really enjoyable and I’m looking to push on.”
The turnover of staff at senior level in the summer included the departure of long-serving goalkeeping coach John Achterberg, with whom Kelleher had worked throughout his time at the Reds.
Otte has since been recruited as head of first-team goalkeeper coaching and cut short his summer holiday to start up in Kirkby after working with the USA at the Copa America.
Kelleher added: “Obviously I worked with John for so many years and hold him in such high regard, I thought he was excellent.
“It’s great that Fabian has come in now. Looks really good, really interesting, full of energy as well, which is good. And probably brings some new ideas as well, which is interesting and good for the goalkeepers to experience, get different opinions on stuff.
“It’s new and exciting, so looking forward to it.”
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