Sir Kenny Dalglish has called on Scotland supporters to be patient with the development of Liverpool youngster Ben Doak - stressing the importance of not rushing the forward's passage into Steve Clarke's senior side.
The 17-year-old, who made the move to Anfield from Scottish Premierships giants Celtic for £600,000 last summer, has been a revelation for both the Reds' U21s and U18s side this season, with such eye-catching performances earning him a swift promotion to Jurgen Klopp's senior side during the autumn.
Likewise, his trajectory on the international stage has not been too dissimilar from his one on Merseyside as he has been rewarded for his stellar form with a promotion from Brian McLaughlin's U17s side straight through to Scot Gemmill's U21s.
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However, ahead of the Tartan Army's Euro 2024 qualification campaign, which begins this week with fixtures against Cyprus and Spain, those north of the border had been desperate to see Clarke include the Liverpool hot-shot in his 23-man squad.
And while Dalglish has no doubts Doak will soon be a constant fixture within the Scottish National Team for years to come, the 72-year-old has called for patience while Doak looks to make a strong finish to his first season as a fully-fledged professional.
"It's not a Cinderella story," said Dalglish, speaking in partnership with Viaplay. "He'll get there eventually but let's not push him too quickly.
"The wee man has done brilliant at Liverpool. They really enjoy what he's done. He certainly looks the part but give him time to settle down. For a 17-year-old to leave his home town for Liverpool, give the wee man a chance to breathe."
After suffering a nasty blow to the head during Liverpool U19s' 1-0 UEFA Youth League defeat to Sporting CP last week, the 17-year-old has in fact pulled out of Scotland's U21s squad for their fixtures this week in line with the appropriate concussion protocols.
The decision comes after Doak missed Liverpool U21s' 3-2 victory over Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League 2 on Saturday with the same issue but will be expected to return to action for Barry Lewtas' side when they host Crystal Palace in the Premier League International Cup later this month.
“At 17 and he’s moved away from home," added Dalglish, recalling his own experience as a youngster breaking through at Doak's former club, Celtic. "I didn’t have to do that. I didn’t do that until I was 26.
"So, he’s just got to go down there, settle, be happy in the digs he’s in and take it from there. If he gets a bit homesick then it’s understandable. He’s just got to front it up, go and mention it to somebody and they’ll help you. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, that’s the most important thing.
“It was the same when I was 17 (at Celtic). Danny McGrain was 18, and we trained with the first team. Everyone just trained together. They were brilliant with us, like calming you down and encouraging you. They were the Lisbon Lions. They won five trophies in one season, didn’t they?!
“It’s asking a lot at 17 to go in there with a Premier League team on a regular basis but when he’s been in there he’s done all right. It might be a bit difficult to drop Mo Salah for the wee man right now!"
The 72-year-old added: “I spoke to him for about 30 seconds one day when we were leaving the training ground. I just said to him, ‘Do you want a lift?!’ He was good as gold! He’s settled in and he has people looking after him. It’s important he’s happy and content, as the better he’ll be on the pitch. He doesn’t need my help but if he does, he can always give me a shout. The young lads get very well looked after at Liverpool.”
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