Little Doak of Liverpool is capable of frightening opponents in Europe.
There are numerous ways to characterize Ben Doak, a 17-year-old Scottish prodigy for Liverpool who is expected to have a bright future; however, let’s let the manager and captain speak first.
This summer, Jurgen Klopp said, “Ben’s a special boy.” Then Virgil van Dijk said, “He’s like a Tasmanian devil.”
Doak is one who should gain from these Thursday excursions, beginning today with a trip to Linz, a city that crosses the Danube halfway between Vienna and Salzburg, as Liverpool enters an unwelcome Europa League tilt.
The only thing anyone outside of Merseyside may recall about Doak is that he was the young boy walking in the opposite direction as Mo Salah had a fit after being replaced at Stamford Bridge on the opening weekend of the Premier League.
Klopp substituted his new ace in his pack for his star player with the score tied at 1-1 against Chelsea. Doak and Michael Owen are the only players to have played for Liverpool in a Premier League game within their first week of eligibility. The Owen comparison has been utilized frequently by fans.
The 5ft 7in-tall, direct, and quick right winger earned his debut against Aston Villa on Boxing Day of last year.
Van Dijk recalled a preseason friendly in Preston last month, “I remember when he came on against Villa away last year, and he did that stepover and went past the full back. He is engaging, direct, and one-on-one. Because of how quickly he moves and how he buzzes around, I refer to him as a Tasmanian Devil. He has all the time in the world to improve his decision-making, so he could perhaps be one for the future.’
Doak, whose agent is former Celtic player Jackie McNamara, shone in Singapore’s humidity on a preseason tour, and it was intriguing to hear a heavy Scottish brogue while patrolling the opulent Ritz Carlton Hotel headquarters that wasn’t Andy Robertson’s.
Doak selected Belter, a song by Glaswegian Gerry Cinnamon, when Ibrahima Konate asked each player to identify their favorite tune. Doak is a belter, different from the others, much like that hymn.
‘Ben is a unique boy,’ according to Klopp. ‘He is really self-assured and offers something that no one else does: this type of dribbling, this kind of unabashed bravery, all these kinds of things.’
Those close to Doak claim that Robertson and Liverpool’s liaison team were crucial in assisting him in adjusting after experiencing some homesickness after his £600,000 transfer from Celtic in 2022.
Few are shocked by his progress, according to former managers and teammates at Ayr United and Dalry Rovers. But many have been surprised by how quickly he has moved up to the starting XI’s fringe.
Doak just extended his contract at Anfield, and Steve Clarke’s senior Scotland team is keeping an eye on him. According to sources close to the adolescent, he is cool-headed and approaches every circumstance equally, whether it is a kickaround or a Premier League match.
He will undoubtedly take part in the Europa League campaign and is expected to play tonight against Austrian Bundesliga outfit LASK, possibly from the opening kickoff.
It’s also likely that Jarell Quansah, who started at Wolves last Saturday after being thrown into the fire, will make an appearance. The 20-year-old, who is 6 feet 3 inches tall, is another one who is expected to have a bright future.
‘He was the only member of our first-half disjointed team who appeared to be in good health,’ according to Klopp at Wolves.
Yesterday, Van Dijk remarked, “He was outstanding.”
‘He came off the last 10 minutes but the amount he played he was outstanding, to stay cool-headed, do the job, very solid, it was great to see. I was very proud for him. He should see it as a start and a very good start.’
LIVERPOOL (probable, 4-3-3): Kelleher; Gomez, Konate, Quansah, Tsimikas; Gravenberch, Endo, Elliott; Doak, Nunez, Diaz.