'It gets exhausting': Why Ben Doak ABANDONED social media | OneFootball

Ben Doak has taken the north east by storm in a short time following his loan move to Middlesbrough this season.

The level of his performances are exciting those on Merseyside, with the 18-year old showing the development all involved at Liverpool were hoping for.

The youngster has also already made multiple appearances for Scotland. He was called up for the Euro 2024 squad before having to withdraw through injury. He made his first start for them last night, forcing the opener in an eventual 2-1 loss to Croatia.

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The right winger leads the Championship in chances created per-90, making many suspect that Liverpool’s Mo Salah woes could already have their solution in-house.

Doak's Social Media Break

And the Scot is already showing wisdom well beyond his years off the pitch too. In an interview with the Daily Mail, he opened up about facing internet trolls and the effect that has had on his mental health.

“When I first started playing games for Liverpool, it was easy to fall into looking at social media and getting a bit too carried away.” Doak said.

“The first time I realised it was one game when I wasn’t great, I wasn’t good, I wasn’t bad. The first thing you do, you go straight on to social media, and you see everyone caning you.” he continued, “That was when I realised that these people aren’t your mates. They’ll big you up and then they’ll hit you down just as hard.”

“I just don’t look,’ he said. ‘It’s just easier, to be honest. It gets exhausting reading all the good and the bad.”

“What’s the point?” he argued, “The people who know what they’re talking about are in the building with me. If I want to hear any feedback, I’ll go to them. I won’t go to social media.”

This is an almost-alarming maturity from someone who only turns 19 next month. Many players have opened up with how much online criticism has become an issue over recent years and the next generation of players will have grown up with it being entirely the norm.

A player actively being forced off social media by trolls - as many have - is an incredibly worrying development. It may be the beginning of a trend whereby younger players, all too used to the toxicity of online culture these days, know to avoid it before it gets too much for them.

But with such a determined resolve it is clear why Doak is rated so highly in football circles. His off-pitch maturity is reflected on the field and, for that, the sky is the limit for him.

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