Giorgi Mamardashvili's Career Move: Time to Leave Liverpool?
Stan Collymore has warned Giorgi Mamardashvili that the “smartest” move for his career could be to get out of Liverpool immediately now Alisson Becker has stayed put at Anfield.
The Georgian goalkeeper played 20 times for the Reds last season, his first campaign at the club after arriving from Valencia. It was a bruising introduction. Liverpool lost 12 of those matches, and Mamardashvili came under fire for several displays while standing in for the injured Alisson.
Any hope of a clearer path to the No.1 shirt this summer disappeared when Alisson, linked strongly with Juventus, remained at the club. New boss Andoni Iraola has doubled down on that hierarchy by naming the Brazilian as Liverpool’s vice-captain.
For Collymore, that should set alarm bells ringing for Mamardashvili.
‘You can’t refine sharpness from the bench’
“Goalkeepers and strikers need regular match minutes to develop – you cannot refine spatial awareness or match sharpness purely from the bench,” the former Liverpool forward told 10bet.
Collymore believes the lack of rhythm hurt Mamardashvili last season and warns that accepting another year as a clear understudy would be a damaging step.
“If Mamardashvili is told he won't feature in key Premier League or Champions League fixtures, seeking an immediate loan is the smartest career move.
“Accepting a pure backup role for extended periods risks framing a player as a secondary option in the eyes of other top European clubs. He needs to proactively seek regular first-team football to maintain his career momentum.”
Collymore points to a familiar pattern in the game: players who arrive with big reputations, quickly realise the pathway is blocked, and move on.
“There have been many players who join a football club and move on within a couple of months. It won't be the first time, and it won't be the last.
“What Mamardashvili cannot afford to do is let the narrative set for the next six months that he is content simply being Alisson's understudy. If he accepts that, other clubs will look at him and ask why they should trust him as a number one if he lacks that internal drive.”
A warning from the James Trafford blueprint
Collymore drew a parallel with James Trafford’s situation, using it as a cautionary tale for any ambitious young goalkeeper tempted to settle for the bench.
“That mirrors the James Trafford situation. Rivals will assume he is happy sitting on the bench, taking the occasional League Cup start or meaningless Champions League group fixture. Why would you throw a goalkeeper like that straight into the Bernabéu against Real Madrid?”
For Collymore, the solution is blunt and immediate. No waiting, no hoping for an injury or a cup run to open the door.
“The first thing a player in that position must do after pre-season is speak directly to the manager: ‘Am I going to play in the matches that truly matter?’
If the manager cannot offer those guarantees, you request an immediate loan move.”
Mamardashvili turns 26 next month, entering the years when a goalkeeper should be building a body of work, not a catalogue of warm-ups. With Alisson locked in as Liverpool’s No.1 and now vice-captain, the Georgian’s next decision will say as much about his ambition as his ability.
