Scotland starlet Ben Doak opens up on Euros blow, how he watched Hungary tie and social media relationship

Therefore there was an air of anticipation when the 18-year-old winger sat down to do one of his first major interviews with the Scottish press. “It's just something you get used to,” Doak says of his media duties. “You're nervous before it, but then as soon as I start talking, I'm alright.”

Doak is more than alright in a very candid and honest 15 minutes holding court. There is much to like about the dribbler from Dalry.

He’s experienced quite a 2024, returning to fitness just in time to be provisionally called up for last summer’s European Championships, before injury ultimately stopped him jetting off to Germany. With new manager Arne Slot in the door at his parent club Liverpool, Doak was farmed out to Middlesbrough on deadline day and has since won his first two caps for the national team. Included in the squad for the latest tranche of Nations League ties against Croatia and Portugal, he is set to add to that haul.

Doak could be forgiven for being in a hurry now. His past year has been punctuated by injuries and some 18-year-olds with less of a reputation have more senior appearances than him under their belts. “Some lads have been playing for two years already,” he says sagely. “Some lads might start playing next year, like other lads my age. But everyone's got their own journey, and mine's just starting now.”

Scotland should be the beneficiaries. Doak is establishing himself in the Middlesbrough first team. The English Championship is a gruelling league, but the former Celtic kid is already relishing the challenge. “It's good to be starting games,” he smiles.

Scotland manager Steve Clarke had hoped to be giving Doak minutes at the Euros in Germany. Viewed as the team’s wildcard with the ability to unlock defences, his trickery and guile may have changed the direction of an ultimately depressing tournament for the national team. Doak mirrored the feeling back home, being cruelly denied the opportunity to star at a major finals.

Recalling his Scotland summer rollercoaster, Doak explains: “It was weird actually because I hadn't played from December until May and I'd only just started training that week. I got the call up and I'm 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, but I was training shortly after so I was able to just put it out of my mind and get on to the next thing because all I could think about was getting picked again, even for anything.

“It was tough to watch just because I was like, even seeing the lads coming off the bench, I was like, that could be me coming on. It was obviously tough to watch, but I was desperate for the lads to do well.”

How did Doak end up watching the games he should have been involved in? “I was watching it with my mum and my family in the house,” he says. “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.

“But back to being a supporter rather than thinking you could have been out there helping, that's quite difficult. To be honest, when I was watching it with all my mates and that, 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.”

Showing his maturity, Doak adds: “I can’t just go, I'll get picked again, it's fine. 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, another international break. So I just thought, well, if I can get training and get playing again, I'm in with a good chance.”

And that hard work paid off. Doak was called back into the Scotland squad for last month’s internationals against Poland and Portugal, making his debut against the Poles in a 3-2 defeat at Hampden. He showed glimpses of what he can bring to the table.

“I didn't really feel like anything, to be honest,” Doak says of his debut. “I came on at 2-1 down. All I was thinking about was trying to help us win the game.

“Obviously that didn't happen. We got it back to two each, and then there was the penalty in the last minute. It was unfortunate, but after the game, because we lost, it wasn't that same great feeling that you get.

“So all I was really thinking was, right, next one, next one. And that's the way I've been with everything.”

Doak’s grounded nature comes from leaving his comfort zone so early. He was just 16-years-old when he was spirited off to Liverpool from Celtic. “To be honest, I settled in really quickly,” he says of life England. “I went down when I was 16. I went into digs with a host family. I stayed in one or two of them, and then moved into my own house. It feels normal now. I'm there to play football. As long as I'm looking after myself and living right, then I'll be fine.”

His attitude towards social media also belies the normal mentality of a teenager. “I think when I first started playing games for Liverpool, coming off the bench and when I made my first start, it's easy to fall into that and looking at social media and getting a bit too carried away,” he muses.

“The first time I realised it anyway was one game I wasn't great, I wasn't good, I wasn't bad. The first thing you do, you go straight onto social media and you see everyone caning you. I think that was when I realised that these people aren't your mates. They'll big you up and then they'll hit you down just as hard. I just don't look.

“It's the easiest thing to do, really, because it keeps you level-headed and you really know where you're at when you don't look at that. It gets exhausting reading all the good and the bad.

“What's the point? What's the point? The people that know what they're talking about are in the building with me. If I want to hear any feedback, I'll go to them, I won't go to social media.”

The interview finishes with a question on what is his ultimate dream in a Scotland shirt. ‘The next one, anyway, is just to score and win that game,” he replies “I think just small targets for ourselves is the best way to do it.”

Doak may well get the chance to hit them over the next few days.