Liverpool's Doak given surprise call-up to Scotland's Euros squad

Doak has not played since December due to a knee injury but Clarke has been forced to look for solutions with a number of players ruled out for the tournament. The 18-year-old shone for Liverpool at times in the 2022/23 campaign but was limited to just five appearances this season before suffering a meniscus tear.

First-choice right-backs Aaron Hickey and Nathan Patterson are both sidelined, as is Bologna's Lewis Ferguson, who won Serie A midfielder of the year this season. Bristol City's Ross McCrorie, who is yet to make an international appearance, is also selected as an option at right-back. Celtic's James Forrest is rewarded for his strong finish to the season with a first Scotland call in three years.

Liverpool's Andy Robertson, Aston Villa captain John McGinn and Manchester United's Scott McTominay are all included. Clarke has named 28 players, but the squad will need to be cut to 26 before the tournament in Germany begins. Scotland face the hosts in the opening match before taking on Switzerland and Hungary in Group A.

Clarke's men play Gibraltar on June 3 and Finland four days later in warm-up friendlies. Scotland have qualified for a major tournament for just the second time in 26 years and have never progressed to the knockout stage in 11 previous attempts at the European Championship or World Cup. "We have to be the team that creates history," Robertson told Sky Sports.

"Getting out the group has to be our aim. It's a tough group but we believe we can give any team a game. "We're aiming to create a small part of history and we've done that by reaching two tournaments. "But being able to qualify outside the group would be a massive step, accelerate us further and give us more belief than we've already got."

Scotland's provisional Euro 2024 squad:

Goalkeepers: Angus Gunn (Norwich City), Zander Clark (Hearts), Craig Gordon (Hearts), Liam Kelly (Motherwell)

Defenders: Andy Robertson (Liverpool), Kieran Tierney (Real Sociedad/ESP), Jack Hendry (Al Ettifaq/KSA), Ryan Porteous (Watford), Liam Cooper (Leeds United), Scott McKenna (FC Copenhagen/DEN), Grant Hanley (Norwich City), Greg Taylor (Celtic), John Souttar (Rangers), Anthony Ralston (Celtic), Ross McCrorie (Bristol City)

Midfielders: Callum McGregor (Celtic), Ryan Christie (Bournemouth), Billy Gilmour (Brighton), John McGinn (Aston Villa), Kenny McLean (Norwich City), Scott McTominay (Manchester United), Stuart Armstrong (Southampton), Ryan Jack (Rangers)

Forwards: Lyndon Dykes (Queen's Park Rangers), Che Adams (Southampton), Lawrence Shankland (Hearts), Ben Doak (Liverpool), James Forrest (Celtic)

 

May 22, 2024