Caoimhin Kelleher says learning from Alisson at Liverpool helped shape the calm approach he has brought into his role as Brentford’s No.1.
Caoimhin Kelleher says working with Alisson at Liverpool helped shape the calm approach he has taken into his first season as Brentford’s No.1.
The Republic of Ireland international joined Brentford last summer after leaving Anfield in search of regular football, having spent several seasons competing with and learning from one of the Premier League’s leading goalkeepers.
Kelleher has since become a key figure for Keith Andrews’ side. Speaking in an interview with Adam Goodwin for Brentford’s website, the goalkeeper said one of the biggest lessons from his Liverpool years came from watching Alisson’s temperament at close range.
“That’s something I’ve seen myself and learned from him, just watching him even, you see he always just tries to stay calm whatever happens,” Kelleher said.
“I’m lucky myself that, naturally, my personality is laid-back, but you look at him as well, he doesn’t react. If he makes a great save, just carry on; if he makes a mistake, just carry on.”
That sense of emotional control is central to how Kelleher has adapted at Brentford. Moving from a role where he was often waiting for opportunities to one where he is expected to play every week brings a different kind of pressure. Mistakes are harder to hide, rhythms are different, and the goalkeeper’s presence becomes a bigger part of the team’s weekly identity.
Kelleher said Alisson’s ability to stay level was something he valued.
“It’s alright, just stay at that level,” he said. “He’s never too much up or too much down, which I think is probably important as a goalie.”
That consistency is showing in the numbers, too. Kelleher currently has the joint-fifth most clean sheets in the Premier League this season, a strong return in his first campaign as a regular No.1 in the division. For Brentford, it reinforces the idea that his transition from Liverpool understudy to weekly starter has been handled well.
The move to Brentford has given Kelleher the regular football he had been seeking. At Liverpool, he had important moments in domestic cups and stepped in when Alisson was unavailable, but the pathway to becoming first choice was always difficult.
Speaking about life as Brentford’s No.1, Kelleher said: “I love it now. It’s amazing to be playing every game.”
He added that the situation feels different from Liverpool, where even strong performances usually came with the knowledge that Alisson would return once fit.
That context makes Alisson's influence more relevant, not less. Kelleher left Liverpool to build his own career, having spent years learning the habits required at the top level.
That experience has been valuable for Brentford this season. Kelleher arrived as a goalkeeper ready for more responsibility, and his first season has shown why the club were prepared to give him that platform.