Alan Rough Advocates for Ben Doak’s Regular Inclusion in Scotland Squad

Former Scotland goalkeeper Alan Rough has urged national team manager Steve Clarke to establish Ben Doak as a consistent member of the senior side. The 19-year-old Liverpool winger, currently on loan at Middlesbrough, has recently impressed with his performances in Scotland’s Nations League matches. Doak was instrumental in securing a Nations League A play-off spot for Steve Clarke’s team, providing the assist for the Scots’ opening goal in their 2-1 triumph against Poland. Rough shared his views on the BBC’s Sacked in the Morning podcast, stating, “A winger is always exciting and it doesn’t matter who it is, somebody’s taking on somebody,” He further commented on Doak’s potential, adding, “We had James Forrest there who I thought, at the height of the Euros, would have been a star. But I think Doak definitely is and I think we’ve got to start playing him.” Addressing concerns about player protection, Rough acknowledged, “I know the manager’s saying we should protect him and I think that’s quite right but when I went to Georgia there was a guy at 16 playing, there’s a guy at another country is 18. If they’re good enough just play them.”