Having not played at any level since December, Ben Doak has now been forced out of the Scotland squad for Euro 2024 after suffering a new injury blow.
Doak was somewhat of a surprise inclusion in Steve Clarke’s provisional squad for the summer’s tournament in Germany.
Having only returned to full training in May after five months out following knee surgery, the 18-year-old was considered a wildcard selection for Scotland.
But with Clarke’s attacking options reduced further by injury to Lyndon Dykes in training last week, Doak was then expected to make the final cut.
Scotland squad update:
Ahead of Friday’s match against Finland, Steve Clarke has called Tommy Conway into his squad.
Sadly, Ben Doak has been withdrawn from the #EURO2024 squad through injury. Ben – we know we’ll see you entertaining crowds at Hampden in a Scotland shirt soon. pic.twitter.com/he01RGvybX
— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) June 4, 2024
However, the Scottish FA announced on Tuesday night that he had been forced out of contention with a new injury, with U21s striker Tommy Conway called up in his place.
It is a bitter blow for Doak, who could have been a major threat for Scotland in their group games against Germany, Switzerland and Hungary this month.
His withdrawal is not entirely unexpected though, having already seen his training time managed along with missing Monday’s 2-0 friendly win over Gibraltar.
Doak could still travel with the Scotland squad to the tournament, as Dykes has already decided to do, though much depends on the extent of his injury.
The teenager suffered MCL damage during a 2-1 win over Chelsea U21s in December, undergoing surgery and spending the rest of the campaign unavailable.
He rejoined Liverpool first-team training in the buildup to the final game of the season, but was never set to be considered for selection.
The hope will be that his injury is not serious and Doak can focus on regaining his fitness while supporting his new Scotland team-mates, before heading to the AXA Training Centre for pre-season under Arne Slot.
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
