The Euro 2024 agony that left Ben Doak feeling like that 'that wee guy again' as Scotland prodigy targets big break

Injury cruelly deprived the teenager of a dream place in Germany but Doak is desperate to use the pain to drive him on in his international dream.

He was ready to head to Germany as the Tartan Army’s big hope for the future. But, in Ben Doak’s own words, he ended up just turning into “that wee guy again”. That wee lad from Ayrshire supporting Scotland on a night out in Glasgow with his mates and going home early, just like the team, after another gut-wrenching disappointment.

Another of the hundreds of thousands of Tartan Army left with their dreams ultimately in tatters. Only Doak could be excused for feeling that little bit more aggrieved than even the most loyal footsoldier.

The footballing God’s turned their back on the Liverpool teenager in June as he was preparing for the latest milestone in his meteoric career. A knee injury which had seen him go under the knife the previous December returned to halt him in his tracks days before Steve Clarke’s squad boarded the plane for what was to be the ultimate anti-climax.

Doak still struggles to shake the feeling of what might have been. All he can do is make sure he grabs hold of the opportunity Clarke has given him after making his delayed debut in last month’s Nations league double header against Poland and Portugal.

It’s a start he hopes can lead him to a major finals sooner rather than later and help erase the pain of missing out on Germany. Speaking for the first time about that agony, Doak said: “It was weird because I hadn't played from December until May and I'd only just started training that week.

“I got the call up and was buzzing… I'm going to go away, I'm going to be training, I might make my debut at the Euros. I came back maybe a tad too early. It was tough to watch. Even seeing the lads coming off the bench, I was like, that could be me coming on. I was desperate for the lads to do well.

“Football's football. I might have played a decent bit. I might have not got on the pitch at all. But I'd like to think I would have made a bit of a difference.

“I was watching the first two games with my mum and my family in the house. I went out to watch the Hungary game with my mates and that ended up being a bit of a tough night. I think we all went home early. To be honest, when I was watching it with all my mates I just forgot that I was even picked for it in the first place.

“I just turned into that wee guy again that was watching Scotland when I was younger. I was training shortly after so I was able to put it out of my mind and get on to the next thing because all I could think about was getting picked again.

“I can't take that for granted. All I could think about was, I can set goals for myself. I knew there was another one last month. So I just thought, well, if I can get training and get playing again, I'm in with a good chance.”

He took that chance last month when, climbing off the bench at 2-1 down to Poland, Doak played a huge part in setting up Scott McTominay’s equaliser before the Poles nicked the win at the death.

He said: “All I wanted to do was just go and impact the game. I was like ‘wow, I'm playing for Scotland here and I've just been involved in the goal’. I was buzzing. My mum and dad were at the game. I think my mum started crying.”

It was a dream moment but there’s no chance of Doak losing his head in the clouds. He might be on loan at Middlesbrough but Liverpool club mate and Scotland skipper Andy Robertson won’t ever allow his feet to lose touch with the ground. A clip of Robertson giving the teen a fatherly clip round the ear during Liverpool training last season went viral on social media.

And Doak said: “Aye, I've seen the video. It wasn't as hard as what it sounded, but it sounded quite bad! Robbo’s always looking out for you. He's always on the wind-up, trying to have a laugh.

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“That just naturally makes you more comfortable in the dressing room with the more experienced lads. It can be easy to get carried away.’ He keeps me right. If I'm having a good day, he'll tell me. If I'm having a bad day and my head's gone a wee bit, he'll reel me in a bit. To be honest, it's not just Robbo. All the lads in this squad make it really easy to settle in. As soon as I came in, I just felt right at home.”

Jurgen Klopp was the man who put his trust in the 16-year-old Doak at Liverpool, signing him and handing him his top team debut at just 16. The German vacated the building this year. But his guidance will never be forgotten by Doak. It’s key to the pacy forward’s thrilling style on the pitch.

Asked what Klopp’s best piece of advice was, Doak said: “When I'm on the pitch, just go and have fun. Just go and enjoy yourself. I feel like that's the easiest thing, the easiest way to play well. You can't be thinking, oh, it's this game, there's a big crowd. If you go out and you just have fun, you'll naturally play well anyway.”

Doak could find himself going up against Luka Modric in Zagreb on Saturday. And Manchester City ace Josko Gvardiol. But don't think for a second the youngster will be star struck.

He said: "Obviously they're top-level teams, but it's football. Anyone can beat anyone. Again, they're really good footballers at those levels, but they're only human. We can go and nick some points off them."

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