Ben Doak injury latest as John Carver opens up on ‘fearless’ Liverpool winger

JOHN CARVER insists Scotland won’t shy away from handing “fearless” Ben Doak a Euro 2024 baptism against Germany.

The Liverpool winger, 18, has been called up for Steve Clarke’s provisional 28-man squad for the finals.

He could get an international debut in next week’s friendlies against Gibraltar in Faro and Finland at Hampden.

Scotland No 2 Carver has been blown away with how the ex-Celtic kid has handled his rise from the Under-21s.

Carver said: “Ben’s just walked in and you’d think that he had been here for years, which is good. The lads like him. He’s that type of guy, you just take to him straight away.

“He’s got no fear. I think young players coming through now develop like that.

“He’s fitted into the group straight away. It’s not like the old days when a young lad would come in and be really shy and bashful.”

On the prospect of Doak facing the hosts in Munich two weeks’ on Friday, Carver added: “Listen, if he starts or has to come on, I don’t think anything will faze him.

“I’ve seen him play in a few games and he’s a player who doesn’t look as if he gets nervous.

“When you play for a big club like Liverpool ­— and he’s played in some important games and shown he’s got that ability — then he’s not going to be overawed.

“When you play for big clubs with a big fanbase, it can add some extra pressure, but he seems to be able to deal with it.”

Doak hasn’t played for the Reds since injury in December, but his rehab has gone well and he could feature next week.

Carver said: “I am not quite sure where he is in his programme.

“We are hoping he will but it depends on how much training time he gets. He might not feature in the first one and he possibly could in the second one.

“We’ll have to gauge it day by day and see where he is.”

Carver played down concerns over the six players who missed yesterday’s session at Lesser Hampden, with Doak one of them.

Scott McTominay, John Souttar, Scott McKenna, Stuart Armstrong and Greg Taylor also sat out.

Carver said: “McKenna has the play-offs with Copenhagen, Armstrong and Souttar worked when we finished with the fitness coach and the other guys just did a recovery session.

“I think everyone is on target to be fit. It is going to be hard with the cut because Steve is very loyal. He will find it difficult, we all will.

“We’ll discuss it but we will do whatever we think is best for the group. We won’t take a chance.”

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