‘It’s crazy’: Charlie Adam & Stewart Downing react to what could now happen to Liverpool attacker

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Charlie Adam and Stewart Downing have reacted to the possibility of Liverpool winger Ben Doak representing Scotland.

After coming through the ranks at Celtic, Ben Doak, after two appearances, decided to join Liverpool in 2022 where he has since started to earn minutes under Jurgen Klopp.

The 17-year-old recently scored his first goal for Scotland’s U21s, but with Steve Clarke’s side heading to Euro 2024, there are calls for the winger to now be thrown into the deep end of the senior side.

Both Charlie Adam and Stewart Downing spoke about how Ben Doak playing for Liverpool is possibly playing a part in him getting pushed towards Scotland’s senior side and how it’s ‘crazy the media can influence things like that’, as they told BBC Radio 5 Live Sport.

Celtic are a huge club, there is no doubt about that, but if the rising Scottish star is being talked about more now, it’s because he is on the Premier League stage.

That’s the luxury of playing in a multi-billion pound league, it can overhype everything and anything.

Ben Doak – Scotland call-up?

Charlie Adam on Ben Doak: “Everybody at Liverpool loves him. He is energetic. He’s direct and it’s only a matter of time before Steve will pick him. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him in the squad. If he wasn’t playing for Liverpool. Would he be in the squad?”

Stewart Downing on Ben Doak: “It’s crazy how the media and stuff like that can influence things. Build a player up and build him down. I am not sure about the noise in Scotland. Whether or not there are calls for Steve (Clarke) to put him in.

“They can’t produce the younger players that England can’t. But when you do get one through, then you have to nurture him. When is the right time to put him in? Sometimes, you have to ignore the noise because everyone might say ‘play him, play him’, then he doesn’t do so well and everybody is like ‘he isn’t ready’.”

Ben Doak is earning Klopp’s trust

A manager like Klopp is hard to please and if he sees something in Doak, then the rest better sit up and take notice.

The young winger couldn’t pick a better manager to work under because he would keep his feet on the ground, as well as develop his talents to the next level.

With Scotland’s ticket for Euro 2024 now booked, perhaps it is right for Doak to earn those senior minutes because there is more to gain than lose here.