Simon Mignolet is trying his very best to remain professional, Liverpool fans shouldn’t be worried or annoyed in that regard.
But his frustration is so great that when pressed on it by the Belgian media, it’s impossible for the goalkeeper to hide his disappointment and confusion with the situation he’s found himself in.
With Jurgen Klopp having a clear preference for Loris Karius, it appears that even if all talents and performances were considered equal, it would be the German goalkeeper to get the nod.
Mignolet knows what he’s up against and whilst he speaks glowingly about Liverpool and his teammates, he’s still open when quizzed on his personal situation.
Speaking to Belgian newspaper HLN, Mignolet has been asked if Klopp has fully explained the goalkeeper situation and Karius preference: “I had several conversations with the coach, but I would rather not release the contents. I had a reasonably good season, apart from the mistake I made against Arsenal, I cannot blame myself for anything.
“I was in and out, that is not the best way for a goalkeeper to perform at a high level for a whole season, as it turns out now, I also had my best periods when I was allowed to stay in a lot of matches. you start really turning after ten matches in a row, and then the relationship with the defence is optimal.”
Trying to get more out of the Liverpool player, HLN’s Stij Joris put it to Mignolet that it must be ‘double annoying’ that Karius was given Champions League games when he was second choice, but now the situation hasn’t been reversed: “In football, not everything always makes sense, sometimes such things are not so easy to understand, but in the end you have to respect the coach’s decisions, however difficult they are.”
Asked if his future will be with Liverpool after the summer, Mignolet answered: “I still have a contract for three seasons and I am not busy with what is going to happen this summer, I work for the team and the World Cup, the rest is for club people and agents.”
HLN again pressed for more, as is their job, and asked the goalkeeper if he can sustain another season in the back-up role.
That’s when the big exit hint came: “Absolutely not, this is really nothing for me, it has already been too long. I’m much more nervous on the bench than on the pitch, I want to be able to contribute something.”
