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Fullname: Ben Gannon Doak
aka: Ben Doak, ‘Doak’ (pronounced ‘Doke’)
Born: 11 November 2005
Birthplace: Dalry, North Ayrshire
Signed: 31 August 2021 (from Celtic Boys Club)
Left: 31 March 2022 (£600k to Liverpool)
Position: Full-back, Winger
Debut: 2022-01-29: Celtic 1-0 Dundee Utd, League
Squad No.: 84
Internationals: Scotland
International Caps: [TBC at end of career]
International Goals: [TBC at end of career]
Biog
The highly regarded and much sought after Ben Doak made his debut for Celtic at the age of just 16, coming on in what was another must win game to keep in touch with Sevco who were leading the race for the title but had just dropped two points.
Some mistook Doak’s name on hearing when he was coming on for a Dundee Utd player, and on his debut he gave a fine show of his ability as Celtic won with a late goal in a 1-0 victory.
He showed confidence, constantly demanding the ball, and was super quick with good runs with a very good touch. So boded well. Second youngest debutant for Celtic ever, by only just 5 days, and then came on as a sub in a 3-0 win over Sevco. In that same match he again made history as the youngest Celtic player to date to receive a yellow card, which he’ll likely treasure the memory of.
He was regarded as one of the finest talents to come through the Celtic ranks of late, but in truth it had been a rocky road with even some of the most highly rated failing either at Celtic or even when they move away (e.g. Islam Feruz).
Liverpool were already reportedly trying to steal him from under Celtic’s nose for their club which was premature, but they very soon succeeded signing Doak up for a nominal 600k signing fee (development fees as Doak was only 16 etc) on 31 March 2022.
Disappointing for Celtic but as the manager put it bluntly:
“The footballers that don’t want to be here? There’s another avenue there for them.”
Ange Postecoglu
The sad fact was that as this had now become increasingly common over recent years, reaction was becoming more muted from the support than it was previously. More and more people were become resigned to the financial realities of the modern environment. The EPL really did lord it over the rest of the football world with its financial power and pull. In fairness, Liverpool at this point were amongst the 2-3 most attractive clubs in the world to play for, being at the peak of their attractiveness to players as Liverpool had won both the European Cup and a league title in recent seasons.
We hardly knew you.
Post-Celtic
Despite a number of appearances for Liverpools’ first team, an honour little afforded to many others at such at precocious age as he was at the time,
[….]
Quotes
“It was Stephen McManus, actually, who brought him into the group. He’s a fantastic kid who comes from a good family. He looked really composed for his age.”
Ange on Doak after his debut v Dundee Utd (29 Jan 2022)
Playing Career
| APPEARANCES (subs) |
LEAGUE | SCOTTISH CUP | LEAGUE CUP | EUROPE | TOTAL |
| 2021-22 | 2 | – | – | – | 2 |
| Goals | 0 | – | – | – | 0 |
| Total | 2 | – | – | – | 2 |
| Goals | 0 | – | – | – | 0 |
Honours with Celtic
(Honours are marked below in which the player has played in at least one of the matches in the campaign.)
Scottish League
Pictures
Forums
Notes
- Surname ‘Doak’ is pronounced ‘Doke’.
- Ben Doak (Nov 2005) playing on his debut 29 January 2022, made him the first @CelticFC player who is younger than the major Celtic football forum www.kerrydalestreet.com (started Aug 2004). A further marker of just how players playing now have little to no knowledge or experience of a football world outwith of the social media world, which is a huge difference to beforehand.
Articles
Celtic’s “generational talent” Ben Doak linked with an exit
by Matt Dawson share
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3 minute read 23/1/2022 | 12:40pm
https://www.footballfancast.com/celtic-transfer-rumours/ben-doak-hoops-bhoys-spfl-postecoglou-academy-lowland-league-liverpool-transfers-gossip-rumours-analysis
…. the Bhoys could lose a young promising player too, one who has been tipped for stardom in Scotland.
The Daily Record’s Scott Burns reported this weekend that Liverpool are eyeing a move for talented Celtic teenager Ben Doak.
At 16 years of age, he is yet to sign professional terms and thus, could be lured away this year at a compensation fee.
Fans seething
Although Doak is yet to play a single game of professional football in his career, the idea of the youngster leaving Parkhead behind is one that will surely leave supporters of Celtic seething.
After all, this is one of the finest talents to come through the Hoops academy in many a year and it’s not as though others haven’t followed a similar path before.
Celtic have regularly lost some of their most prized assets to south of the border with the likes of Stuart Armstrong, Virgil van Dijk, Fraser Forster, Victor Wanyama, Kieran Tierney, Kristoffer Ajer and Odsonne Edouard all heading to the Premier League.
Factor in Leo Hjelde’s move to Leeds last summer and it’s not just the first-team players who can be enticed by a move to greater riches in English football.
Hjelde has already made his mark at Elland Road, making his senior debut for the club in 2022 and although Doak’s path to greatness at Liverpool would be much tougher, it would surely sadden Celtic fans to see another of their best young prospects depart.
After all, this is somebody who is already on the periphery of senior football at the age of 16, appearing on the bench against St Johnstone in December when he could have become the club’s youngest ever player to feature in a senior game.
As a result, there are clearly big hopes for him and based upon one appraisal from Bhoys Analtyics on Twitter says it all. They once Tweeted: “Ben Doak is a name Celtic fans should get familiar with. Real chance of producing a generational talent.”
As a result, to lose him for a measly compensation fee in the coming months would be a disaster.
Doak isn’t only blessed with wonderful talent but he’s a player that could eventually make Celtic a small fortune in the future. They simply have to ensure he signs professional terms in Glasgow.
“The club I’ve supported my full life”; Ben Doak’s message to Celtic fans after promising debut
By David Walton
https://www.67hailhail.com/news/the-club-ive-supported-my-full-life-ben-doaks-message-to-celtic-fans-after-promising-debut/
Exciting Celtic youngster Ben Doak has sent a message to the supporters after making a promising debut against Dundee United yesterday.
At only 16 years of age, Doak incredibly managed to up the tempo after coming on for the final 20+ minutes with the contest tied at 0-0 against the Tannadice outfit.
The young Lennoxtown academy prospect darted past his man on several occasions and got into some threatening positions. Celtic fans were left wowed by his pace and positivity as he made a real impression in his cameo. And as he ooked back on the game, Doak was full of beans come full-time as he posted the following on Instagram:
bendoak._
Proud moment for me and my family.
What an honor to make my debut for the club ive supported my full life @celticfc
Doak has been linked with Liverpool in recent weeks with the player yet to sign a professional contract at Parkhead [Glasgow Times]. Considering he’s just made his debut for the club, you would hope that’s about to change.
Celtic 1-0 Dundee United | Full-Time Reaction
It remains to be seen if further opportunities are there for him in the coming weeks. Granted, given the importance of Wednesday night’s game against Rangers, Ange Postecoglou will likely look to shield him from that kind of environment at 16.
Celtic currently have Liel Abada and James Forrest available for the right-wing slot heading into a crucial week for the club.
Ben Doak making the right impression already in the Celtic first-team
There was something hugely exciting about the Doak cameo yesterday. Seeing how easily he breezed past his men and got into dangerous positions was an eye-opener. The kind of thing you just don’t expect from someone so young.
Sure, it’s important to keep a cool head. Doak has a long way to go before he’s competing regularly in the Celtic first-team squad. At only 16, the development potential in him looks to be frightning.
But you had to absolutely love the fearlessness in that performance yesterday. He didn’t want to just play the safe pass. He didn’t want to make sure he made no mistakes. That was what took you back with him. He wanted to go and commit and put himself out there. Happy to risk making individual mistakes if it meant we had a chance to create something.
Celtic FC v Dundee United – Cinch Scottish Premiership
Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images
That’s the kind of energy Celtic needed to inject into yesterday’s match. You could even go so far as to say that if he didn’t come on, we likely wouldn’t have scored a winner. No, Doak didn’t play a central role in the goal itself, but it was his forward runs that gave Celtic a bit of much-needed life.
When you’re a youngster making your Celtic debut, it’s important to make an impression. Doak succeeded and then some. The challenge now is to keep the head down and not get too overwhelmed in the moment. Ben clearly has wonderful ability, and it’s all about giving that ability time to develop.
But a massive congratulations to him for what he produced yesterday. He certainly got the supporters off their seats.
Ben Doak: Celtic manager has say on teenager after heavy speculation to Liverpool
Ange Postecoglou has warned to Ben Doak that the grass is not always greener on the other side of the border and Celtic is a ‘great place’ for success.
By David Oliver
Monday, 14th March 2022, 9:25 pm
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/celtic-a-great-place-for-success-postecoglou-warns-doak-3611192
Doak has been heavily linked with a move to Liverpool in a deal which would net Celtic just a training development fee for the 16-year-old winger.
And Postecoglou says success in the game can be achieved by staying at Celtic – with a nod to the careers of Kieran Tierney, Callum McGregor and James Forrest as examples.
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“When you look at the starting line-up [against Dundee United], there’s a few boys who started out as ball boys for our club, you can’t tell me they haven’t had careers – they’ve represented their country, they’ve won trophies,” he said, in reference to McGregor and Forrest.
“There’s a couple down south who started here too. People may think going down south is a reward or some guarantee of success, life – and football in general – shows you there are many avenues towards that goal.
“I think you’re in a great place here if that’s what your end game is.”
Doak has played twice for the Parkhead first team and has shown up well in Lowland League appearances with the B team. The lure of working with Jurgen Klopp is said to have been a temptation, according to The Athletic.
But Postecoglou, who handed the teenager his senior debut in January, told BBC Sportsound his focus was “to look after the footballers that want to be here.”
“The footballers that don’t want to be here? There’s another avenue there for them,” he added.
Liverpool agree compensation fee with Celtic for highly-rated teenager Ben Doak
Metro Transfer News Reporter
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/football/liverpool-agree-compensation-fee-with-celtic-for-highly-rated-teenager-ben-doak/ar-AAVKhrS
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Ben Doak will join Liverpool from Celtic in time for the start of next season (Picture: @TheRedmenTV) © Provided by Metro Ben Doak will join Liverpool from Celtic in time for the start of next season (Picture: @TheRedmenTV)
Liverpool have completed the signing of highly-rated Celtic teenager Ben Doak after a compensation figure of £600,000 was agreed between the two clubs.
The 16-year-old made his first team debut for Ange Postecoglou’s side in January but hasn’t signed a professional contract.
Doak also featured in the recent Old Firm derby but despite his early introduction to the first team fold, the highly-rated winger has found it impossible to ignore the lure of Jurgen Klopp and his quadruple chasing side.
Speaking earlier this month about the challenge of keeping his best young players at Parkhead, Postecoglou said: ‘My role is to look after the footballers that want to be here. The footballers that don’t want to be here? There’s another avenue there for them.
‘When you look at the starting line-up against Dundee United there were a few boys who started out as ball boys for our club.
‘You can’t tell me they haven’t had careers – they’ve represented their country, they’ve won trophies.
‘There are a couple down south who started here too. People may think going down south is a reward or some guarantee of success.
‘Life – and football in general – shows you there are many avenues towards that goal. I think you’re in a great place here if that’s what your end game is.’
James Milner is out of contract in the summer (Picture: Getty) © Provided by Metro James Milner is out of contract in the summer (Picture: Getty)
According to The Athletic, meanwhile, Leeds United offered more lucrative terms but the youngster’s decision was a straightforward one when he learned of Liverpool’s interest.
Doak, who scored a hat-trick for Scotland Under-17s against Georgia this week, won’t be eligible to play academy games for Liverpool until next season but was pictured this week at the Reds’ training base holding a shirt with James Milner’s No.7 on the back.
The 36-year-old is out of contract in the summer but had been seeking a one-year extension, but whatever the outcome of negititions Klopp believes the versatile veteran won’t be hanging up his boots at the end of the season.
‘There are talks, but like always, we usually don’t comment further on that,’ said Klopp recently ‘But yes, the club will be in talks with Milly, so we will see.
‘There is no chance that Milly will retire next year. He’s desperate to play on, and I understand that, because life after your career is much longer than your career.
‘So you should extend your career as long as you can, if you can still play football. Milly will be fine after his career as well, but he obviously loves what he’s doing. He will play football next year, definitely.’