Doak’s cheeky Euro’s quip revealed as Liverpool kid prepares for Scotland debut

JOHN McGINN has tipped Ben Doak to explode on to the Scotland scene.

The Liverpool youngster, who has joined Middlesbrough on loan, missed the Euros through injury.

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McGinn revealed the 18-year-old joked he was what Steve Clarke’s side was missing as they flopped in Germany.

And with Torino’s Che Adams pulling out of the squad for this week’s double-header with an injury, Doak could now make his debut against Poland at Hampden in Thursday night’s Nations League clash.

Aston Villa skipper McGinn said: “It’s not just his ability, it’s his character. He cheered me up on Sunday night.

“There were only five or six of us that arrived because a lot of the boys were travelling.

“We were touching on the Euros and he said, ‘If I’d stayed fit, it might have been different!’.

“That’s just his character, it’s brilliant. He’s got a lot of confidence, he’s a good laugh and he’s fitted in well.

“He’s excited to play some games at Middlesbrough and I think he’s ready to contribute for us. I think everyone’s aware of his ability and he’s something different to what we’ve got. Hopefully we can see that on Thursday.

“Even in training, he’s so explosive. Sheer pace, power, strength.

“It’s something we’ve been missing over the past couple of seasons.

“He’s definitely going to bring something different there and get supporters off their seats.”

McGinn reckons Doak would have made a difference had he been fit for the Euros.

He added: “Not only Ben, but all the other injured lads could have helped.

“We’re not a massive country. We’ve not got endless amounts of top players to choose from, but we certainly missed all the injured lads and Ben was one of them.”

McGinn admits the Euros left him gutted but hopes the new faces in the squad — Doak, Ryan Gauld and Dundee keeper Jon McCracken — give the experienced players a lift.

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He said: “We all know we could have done better in the summer, but now there’s a new batch of players coming in and a different feel to the squad.

“Hopefully it will re-energise all of us individually and everyone in the country too. We have a couple of years now to try to get to a World Cup. We’ve not achieved that in a long time.

“This group has managed to achieve things and break the pattern of not qualifying for tournaments.

“But we’ve obviously not built on that.

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“The supporters are looking for something new to get us going again.

“I think they were right behind the team. They still had a brilliant time in the summer, but it doesn’t make us feel any better with the performances and the results.

“Thursday is about us getting on the front foot and embracing being in the top division in the Nations League, which is a first for us.

“We’re going to be tested absolutely against some top teams and it will give us the best possible chance to be at that World Cup.

“As for performances in major tournaments, we’ve got a lot of time to digest that, a lot of time to look back and reflect on what went wrong and what we can do better.

“Hopefully, in two years’ time, we’re talking about how we can do better at the World Cup and be at that next major tournament.”

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