Ben Doak has learned to deal with life in the spotlight after admitting his Scotland involvement has come earlier than he expected.
The 18-year-old Liverpool winger – currently on loan at Middlesbrough – made his full international debut against Poland last month after an untimely injury wrecked his dream of going to Euro 2024.
Despite being fast-tracked into the public eye, Doak – who made 10 appearances for the Reds under Jurgen Klopp – insisted he is comfortable with the magnitude of the journey he is on.
Doak made his Scotland debut against Poland
“A few years ago, I didn’t expect to be here at 18,” he said, speaking at a Scotland press conference at Hampden Park ahead of Saturday’s Nations League match away to Croatia.
“Even getting picked for the 26-man squad in the Euros, especially the way the season went before that, I missed the full second half of the season [through injury].
“But now it just feels normal. I’m onto the next thing. Hopefully I can just keep doing well and keep getting into the right people’s thoughts.”
Ben Doak is on loan at Middlesbrough from Liverpool
Doak’s emergence has sparked excitement among Scotland supporters, but he is adamant he does not feel burdened by pressure or expectation because he is doing his best to close out all external noise around his progress.
“I try and not really look at that stuff,” he said. “It’s all well and good when you’ve got all the hype and everyone’s bigging you up, but it can be the same people that are smacking you down when you don’t play well, so I don’t take notice of the negatives or the positives.
“If I went out of my way to go and look, I think early on when I first started making appearances I fell into that and started putting a lot of pressure on myself because of what other people were saying.
“But that doesn’t help you, it doesn’t help your team, so it’s easier to just close your mind off to it and not look. Just relax, take it easy and go and enjoy your football.”
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Scotland assistant John Carver says it feels like Craig Gordon ‘has never been away’ from the squad as he assesses their growing injury list ahead of the Nations League double-header
Despite never having previously made a Scotland appearance, Doak looked on course to go to the Euros as a wildcard selection by Steve Clarke, but an injury flared up just before the tournament and ruled him out.
“It was gutting,” he said. “It was a big blow. I went home after the Gibraltar game just before the tournament.
“I spent a lot of time with my family. I just got back to training with my mate who had some time off as well, so it was good to be around people that I’m closest with just to help me take my mind off it.
“Obviously watching the games, it was gutting how it went, but that just drove me on more to try and get in the squad and try and make a difference.”
Although his mother shed tears of pride and joy, Doak did not get carried away by his debut against Poland because it resulted in a 3-2 defeat.
“Weirdly enough, it didn’t feel like anything,” he said. “I came on and the team were in a losing position.
“When it went 2-2, that was the first time in the game when I realised, ‘wow, I’m playing for Scotland here and I’ve just been involved in the goal’, but when you come on and you lose the game, it takes a bit of the feeling away and you just want to get on to the next game.”
Doak says captain Andy Robertson has helped him settle into the Scotland squad
Aided by Liverpool team-mate Andy Robertson, Doak feels he has settled well into the Scotland environment.
“I think people forget that I’m the youngest,” he said. “All the lads are dead good. I feel comfortable amongst the boys, even though there is that age gap with some of them.
“Obviously there will be a bit of difference in banter and maturity, but obviously that’s just what it is. I’m not a shy boy, I find it easy to go out and talk to people.”
Will Scotland end long wait for a win?
Scotland will hope the upcoming games against Croatia and Portugal will end the longest winless run in the nation’s history.
The team have lost five and drawn three of their last eight competitive fixtures. Including friendlies, that run stands at just one win – against Gibraltar – in 14 matches.
On paper those late defeats to Poland and Portugal would suggest there is little reason to be optimistic. However, when you look at the more positive approach on the pitch, a new 4-2-3-1 formation and fresh faces getting their opportunity to make a mark, there is yet reason to believe for the Tartan Army.
What is next for Scotland?
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