Ben Doak to be let loose as Middlesbrough boss Michael Carrick contradicts Steve Clarke Scotland wait excuse
Michael Carrick has vowed to unleash Ben Doak for Middlesbrough in the Sunderland derby as the winger is READY to go.
The attacker, 18, made his debut for Boro against Preston last weekend from the bench as the two sides shared the spoils in a 1-1 draw. But Carrick believes the former Celtic starlet, on loan from Liverpool, has been champing at the bit to play since he arrived and is set to be given the chance to show exactly what he can do.
Carrick believes the playmaker is good to go and that there's no reason to "hold him back", but that somewhat contradicts Scotland boss Steve Clarke's feeling from last month when he insisted Doak was perhaps not quite ready to start.
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Carrick said: "Ben’s ready, definitely. He’s fit and raring to go. He’s young but he has an older head than his age suggests and he’s desperate to get started and be part of it. It’s fantastic for us.
"Patience again, I keep saying, in terms of him hitting his peak level with the stage that he’s at in terms of settling in and getting game time, there’s no issue or anything holding him back at this stage. You’ve got to believe and back yourself and there’s plenty ahead for Ben to settle in and hit the ground running this season.”