Kelleher can prove that staying shows ambition

Steve Young didn’t just walk into greatness. For a few years, he stood in its shadow, watching Joe Montana rewrite the playbook on what it meant to be an NFL quarterback. ‘Joe Cool’ was the face of the San Francisco 49ers, a four-time Super Bowl champion with unshakable composure under pressure. He played chess while everybody else danced around him. Young, meanwhile, was the understudy, a prodigy shackled to the bench, knowing he was good enough but always wondering if a chance to prove it would eventually come along.

Their dynamic was tense but professional. Young wasn’t just a backup; he was the future, and both men knew it. Montana was still in his prime and saw his heir, a number one draft pick, closing in; Young fought for every scrap of opportunity to show he belonged at one of the league's most decorated franchises.

Then, Montana suddenly got injured in 1991 – that changed everything.

Forced into the spotlight, Young dazzled, winning two MVP awards and turning the 49ers into his team. When Montana eventually returned, the choice was clear – Young had proven he was ready to command the team's offense in the long-term. Montana was traded to Kansas City and Young stepped out of the shadow to build his own Hall of Fame legacy at Candlestick Park.

Young’s story wasn’t just about talent; it was about patience and the courage to compete against the best. It’s a reminder that ambition doesn’t always mean leaving for an easier path. Sometimes it’s about staying to fight in the most difficult battle. Back across the Atlantic, Irish goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher finds himself in a similar position, watching, learning and waiting behind a generational talent in Alisson Becker. Most pundits are of the opinion that the Cork man needs to head away to prove that he is a young man with ambition. However, staying just as Young did would perhaps be the most ambitious move of all.

It goes without saying that Alisson is a the type of goalkeeper who sets the standard for an entire era. So, leaving would, of course, be the easier path for the Irish shot stopper. A move to a mid-table club would guarantee minutes but it would also likely limit ceilings. Staying at Liverpool would, meanwhile, lead to trophies, top-level competition, and the chance to train daily against the best players in the world.

So far, Kelleher has been immensely patient in waiting for his moment, which came in recent weeks as Liverpool's number on looked on from the sidelines. And the young man took that opportunity with both hands, finally proving that he is more than capable of replacing the Brazilian full-time should the Brazilian become unavailable to Arne Slot.

In a world that values instant gratification, the manner in which Kelleher has remained at Liverpool has required a different type of ambition. Across his 13 appearances in red this season, he’s kept six clean sheets. And although he's playing within a side that dominates possession most of the time, he has had to showcase his feline reflexes on a number of occasions to help Slot's side grind out results as they continue their phenomenal form with only a single loss so far this season.

But it’s the advanced metrics that elevate his case further. Kelleher’s post-shot expected goals prevented (PSxG) – a measure of how well a keeper stops high-quality chances – ranks among the league’s elite. In layman’s terms, he’s not just saving shots he should save; he’s keeping out efforts most would concede.

These aren’t just the numbers of a capable stand-in; they’re the numbers of a keeper ready to take centre stage for one of the best sides in the world. For Liverpool, the challenge isn’t whether Kelleher is ready for more responsibility, it’s whether they can afford to keep him waiting. It's not inconceivable to state that Kelleher could very soon be putting a lot of pressure on Allison for the main gig, particularly if the Brazilian starts struggling with injuries again. And age is certainly on the side of the Irishman.

Football is a game of risky equations but few are as hazardous as managing two great goalkeepers at the same club. It’s the kind of alchemy that rarely ends well, like two chefs scrabbling for position over one hob. The experiment has been tried – but has only very occasionally worked.

At Paris Saint-Germain, goalkeeping duties were split between the veteran Gianluigi Buffon and the hungry Alphonse Areola. Buffon had all the aura of a marble statue in the Vatican while Areola was the rising star of the future that was still a little raw at his core. But Buffon departed after a single season, leaving a lot of money on the table in the process, having been dissatisfied with being a benchwarmer.

Real Madrid danced the same dance when they brought Thibaut Courtois to the Spanish capital, leaving Keylor Navas, a Champions League-winning hero, to battle for his position. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Navas ultimately jetted off to Paris to become the number one choice at another major European club, replacing Buffon as it happened.

Barcelona also tried to pull it off with Marc-André ter Stegen and Claudio Bravo, dividing La Liga and cup duties as though separating church and state. There was initially a sense of harmony. But as in most divorce proceedings, ambition and pride inevitably clashed, with Bravo departing for Manchester City and ter Stegen inheriting the throne.

There is already a hint of a similar dilemma creeping into Liverpool; keeping both men happy will be a greater triumph than anything else they achieve this season. Managing two great goalkeepers might sound like a luxury but at Anfield it’s starting to feel more like a countdown. How long before ambition, pride or simple economics forces their hand?

Just as ‘Joe Cool’ once seemed untouchable in San Francisco only to realise that no star is infallible, Kelleher’s ascent has begun to shift the dynamic at Liverpool. Alisson may still be among the best in the world, but Kelleher’s performances have shown that no throne is eternal. In football, the future has a habit of arriving sooner than expected.