David James insists goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili will need to be patient
He will have watched from Spain as now-departed predecessor Caoimhin Kelleher made 20 appearances – half of which were in the Premier League due to hamstring and concussion injuries to Alisson.
However, even taking into account the Brazil international's injury record over the last two seasons – he missed 75 days in 2023-24 and 94 last season – the 24-year-old cannot expect to be afforded the same opportunity.
'You have to understand Liverpool haven't looked at Mamardashvili and thought 'We need to fill a gap here',' James, who made 277 Liverpool appearances between 1992 and 1999, told the PA news agency at an event for Carlsberg.
'Liverpool is one of the biggest clubs in the world and it's not often you get asked twice. Mamardashvili has come in as a direct challenger.
'He will have to believe he is good enough to play for Liverpool, one of the toughest goalkeeping positions in world football.
'But he has played at major tournaments and international finals and excelled so I don't think the occasion is going to faze him.
'It will just be interesting if he doesn't start the season how motivated he will be to wait for his opportunities, because he will get opportunities.'
A post shared by Gio Mamardashvili (@gmamardashvili25)
The Brazil international returned to training on Wednesday and that should afford him enough time to feature in Sunday's Community Shield against Crystal Palace.
'There has to be competition in the goalkeeping area,' added James.
'With Mamardashvili we have got another young, talented goalkeeper and if he doesn't get in the Liverpool side it will be because he has pushed Ali to be the best and that is what Liverpool want.
'If he does get in the side it will be because he has been better than Ali, which will mean he will be amazing.
'But the environment in that squad means whoever is playing it will be understood that is the best player in goal for Liverpool to be successful.'
Another former Liverpool goalkeeper Sander Westerveld believes head coach Arne Slot's conversations with Mamardashvili will be important.
'It's going to be a tricky one. I think you have to have a good meeting with the boss, who will probably have told him he will play League Cup games,' he said.
What a save, Gio 🧤 pic.twitter.com/SJ5Aa10Ese
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 5, 2025
'He will have to explain to Mamardashvili he is not the number one and will have to fight for his place and be ready for the moment.
'He will get his games but probably not as much as last season but if you want to have success you need a big squad.
'You could have 70 games a season and if you are involved in all the cups you need all the players – you saw how many games Kelleher played, especially last season.'
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