We need to get our act together on youth development, but Gannon Doak’s gripes make no sense…
Ben Doak signs for Liverpool. Photo Liverpool FC
Promising Scotland winger, and former Celtic prospect Ben Gannon Doak has given his opinion on his time in the East End of Glasgow, and why he felt the need to leave for the cash rich EPL.
Back when he was simply known as Ben Doak, the talented winger was handed his debut at the tender age of 16 as a substitute in a home league clash with Dundee United, and followed it up by making a further appearance from the bench days later in the pressure cooker atmosphere of a Glasgow derby, under the lights on a February evening as Ange Postecolgou’s Celtic side swept aside the Rangers to go to the top of the table.
Ben Doak of Liverpool celebrates scoring Liverpool’s third goal from the penalty spot at AXA Training Centre on August 13, 2022 in Kirkby, England. (Photo by Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Ben is blessed with great talent, that’s not in question, and whilst our record in rearing young talent isn’t mightily impressive, to claim he was ‘held back’ is complete and utter nonsense.
According to former coach Darren O’Dea, Ben was pushing Ange Postecoglou for more minutes, but at the tender age of 16, it’s not viable to be thrown right into a side under such scrutiny as Celtic, something that could have had a negative impact on the youngsters development.
Celtic v Buckie Thistle – Liel Abada in action during the Scottish Cup match at Celtic Park on Sunday January 21, 2024. Photo Andrew Milligan
We also happened to have the likes of Jota, Liel Abada, Daizen Maeda, and James Forrest ahead of Ben in the pecking order, players who had an abundance of experience at club and international level.
Ange had just got his side moulded in the shape he wanted, and our squad depth was at the best it had been in years, and we were in the midst of a title battle, even the likes of Giorgos Giakoumakis, a Greek international and a man who finished the season prior as the top scorer in the Dutch Eredivisie wasn’t guaranteed a regular start.
Ben would in doubt have been pushing for a first team place had he bided his time, and not jumped at the financial rewards on offer down in the bright lights of the EPL via the Liverpool Academy.
Ben Doak of Liverpool controls the ball during the pre-season friendly match between Karlsruher SC and Liverpool FC at BBBank Wildparkstadion on July 19, 2023 in Karlsruhe, Germany. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)
Ironically Ben struggled to get regular game time in a terrific Liverpool side, before impressing in a loan spell at Middlesbrough, which won him a megabucks move to Bournemouth.
Despite some injury issues he’s doing well at The Cherries, as he is at international level for Scotland, and long may that continue, but trying to spin the narrative that he was hard done by at Celtic is fooling nobody.
Since Brexit it’s harder for the cash-rich English Premier League sides to sign up the best young players on the continent so their attention has turned to Scotland, remember we were taken out of the EU against our will.
Ben Doak has gone onto make an impact but even at this stage it’s more about potential rather than what he’s managed to deliver week in week out in club football. Had he stayed at Celtic he would have worked with both Ange Postecoglou and then Brendan Rodgers, who has a well deserved reputation for player development.
It’s a what if scenario but Doak most likely would have got a big £25m move from Celtic to the Premier League after few seasons living the glory and the dream in the Hoops. Instead he’s got two substitute appearances with a few kicks of the ball to sum up his Celtic career.
The decision to leave was his. There’s no fault here on the party of Celtic, so let’s not re-write history.
Just an Ordinary Bhoy
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Forget ben like he forgot about us he never signed a proffesional contract for what ever reason
Celtic are in no way responsible for not giving him more game time at age 16, I
firmly believe he thought he was better than he was and this could have came from people in background giving him advice to benefit them not him again good luck to him but he’s went Celtic to Liverpool and is now playing in championship,going backwards if he had stayed and been patient he possibly playing in first team and playing in Europe every year
The issue surrounds better money and development opportunities elsewhere, than what is on offer with ourselves, and Scottish football in general imo.
However, we have seen signs of that potentially changing this season also.
Murray and Donovan have benefited this season already, and could include Doohan also?
All 3 were potentially 3rd choice options in there positions at the start of the season, but for Murray and Donovan still got match time, mainly due to the injury list factors.
Even now, we have the makings of a 3rd choice team, made up of players that can’t find a place in our 20man match day squad.
A team mainly made up of loan signings, players not reaching there potential, and the blanks filled in with injured players.
Personally don’t believe that it’s the wrong option for ourselves to be taken, especially with the amount of matches in the playing calendar these days.
But do think that 3rd choice options should be filled by our own homegrown players moreso imo?
It’s alarming that with a 3rd choice team in operation, throughout this season, hasn’t made any real impact, which is costing a considerable amount of money, and without our own youngsters given the opportunity?
Would like to think that it will get addressed moreso next season.
But before that, getting a 1st and 2nd choice team in the squad building process has to take preference for ourselves.
Haven’t got to many issues surrounding the theory of the squad building process taken.
How it was delivered remains one of a major concern for ourselves imo