Why Ben Doak Decided to Leave Celtic for Liverpool

Celtic have faced a tough time keeping hold of their most impressive youngsters in recent years. One of the best to leave in recent years was Ben Doak, who moved to Liverpool.

Doak was given a couple of senior appearances by Ange Postecoglou while he was just 16 years of age, including one in the Glasgow Derby against Rangers.

That was not enough to convince Doak to stay though as he soon ended up joining Liverpool. And he has had a decent rise since then and is currently out on loan at Middlesbrough.

Of course, Celtic fans wanted Doak to stay but it was not to be. Yet, as it turns out, the youngster might have ended up staying if things had worked out a bit differently.

According to 67 Hail Hail, Jackie McNamara said on Open Goal's Podcast: "Ange had put him in a couple of times and if he’d have kept him in the first-team. The problem is if you’re not in the first-team they need something in between that to get the boys to go out.

“No disrespect to the Lowland League but when you’re at a certain level it’s stimulation, you need to go and play and be tested so there’s somewhere else boys can go if they’re not in the first-team.

“I think if they kept him in at that point he might’ve wanted to stay.

“He’s injured just now but I think he’s special. I watched him away with Scotland and he’s got it, he’s special."

When a club the size of Liverpool comes calling, it is always hard to convince a player to stay. That turned out to be the case with Doak as well.

And it is not just about Liverpool wanting to sign him either. Celtic's own record when it comes to developing and promoting youngsters in recent years is nothing to write home about. To be very honest, they have not done a good job.

Doak is not the only one who has left the club instead of signing a new deal. Rocco Vata and Daniel Kelly did the same thing last summer. And Daniel Cummings is believed to be close to a move to West Ham United with his contract running out at the end of the season.