We want Liverpool starlet to be a talent for the next 15 years - and are making sure not to overhype him
Ben Doak is highly rated by Liverpool and is enjoying a fruitful loan spell at Middlesbrough.
Scotland boss Steve Clarke has insisted that he will not put too much pressure on Liverpool youngster Ben Doak.
The winger is held in high regard by club and country. Doak joined the Reds from Celtic in the summer of 2022 and was swiftly fast-tracked to the first-team fray. He made his debut aged 16 and has made a total of 10 senior appearances for Liverpool.
After suffering a serious knee injury last season, Doak has been loaned to Championship side Middlesbrough to gain regular minutes. So far he has made five appearances, scoring once.
He’s also broken into the Scotland set-up and had been included in their Euro 2024 squad but had to pull out because of injury. But his form for Boro resulted in him being rewarded with a maiden start in a 2-1 loss against Croatia in the Nations League last weekend. The 19-year-old impressed and Tartan Army fans are again calling him to feature from the outset against Portugal at Hampden Park tonight. Clarke is considering doing just that - but Scotland are also being cautious to ensure that Doak does not become overhyped. “You’ve always got the balancing act,” said the Tartan Army manager via The Herald. “We know Ben is a talent. We want him here for the next 15 years, not the next 15 months. As I always say, don’t put too much pressure on him. He’s just a young man. He will make mistakes in the game, he will do some really good things in the game.
“We’ve got to get the balance right between giving Ben the opportunity to play, because he’s more than capable, but also making sure we protect him a little bit and don’t overhype him. Sometimes, maybe in the past, there have been players that have been a little bit overhyped and don’t fulfil their potential. The most important thing for Ben is that he fulfils his potential and if we can help him do that, that’s what we’ll try to do.”
Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson is in line to captain Scotland and will come up against his Anfield team-mate Diogo Jota for Portugal.