Hibernian starlet Josh Doig should be wary of a summer move to Arsenal or Leeds United with John Collins warning the left-back of the potential pitfalls that await him in the Premier League, speaking to The National.
Not many players have their pick of clubs at the age of 18 – but Doig isn’t your ordinary 18-year-old.
After a stunning breakthrough season at Easter Road – one that could end with the SFWA Young Player Of The Year award sitting on his mantelpiece – Hibs’ teen talisman is already facing a dilemma.
Doig also has admirers at Arsenal, Leeds and Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, as reported by The Sun in April.
For Collins, however, it’s difficult to shake off a nagging feeling this could be a classic case of ‘too much, too soon’.
“Doig has been the highlight of the season so far,” said the former Celtic midfielder.
“For his first season, he’s done a terrific job. There’s still a long way for him to go. He still has to work on his final delivery into the box but he has shown enormous potential.
“It is hard to knock back big offers but I’ve always felt, for a professional footballer, the most important thing is the first-team jersey. You can go somewhere and get more money but if you’re sitting on the bench or in the stands, life isn’t quite as fun.”
Collins believes Doig could do a lot worse than take a leaf out of Kieran Tierney’s book.
The Scotland international honed his talents during four years at Celtic and, when he finally left, joining Arsenal in a £20 million deal, was ready to challenge for a starting place at the Emirates.
“So many times we see players move too early and disappear. These English clubs have huge squads and just stock up on young talent with potential,” Collins adds.
“A great example for Doig is Kieran Tierney. He was a regular for many years at Celtic and then moved to Arsenal at the right time. It was good money for Celtic and good wages for Kieran.
“But, most important of all, he’s a first-team player at Arsenal. He didn’t go as a squad player too young.”
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