World Cup Qualifying Match Preview: Greece vs. Scotland
World Cup Qualifying Match: Greece vs. Scotland
Venue: Karaiskakis Stadium, Piraeus Date: Saturday, 15 November Time: 19:45 GMT
Coverage: Watch on BBC Scotland & iPlayer, listen on BBC Radio Scotland, Nan Gaidheal & Sounds, and follow live text commentary on the BBC Sport website & app.
Not many 20-year-olds blow out birthday candles wishing for a World Cup appearance in the coming year, but Ben Gannon-Doak is not your average young athlete. The talented Bournemouth winger celebrated his latest birthday in Turkey, where coach Steve Clarke has taken the squad for a warm-weather training camp ahead of their final crucial World Cup qualifying matches.
While the Scots have already secured a playoff spot, Gannon-Doak and his teammates are focused on achieving automatic qualification. By avoiding defeat in Greece and winning their decisive match against Denmark next Tuesday, they can accomplish this goal.
“I have no doubt in my mind that we’re going to go [to the World Cup],” Gannon-Doak confidently stated to BBC Scotland.
Confidence and Humility
Gannon-Doak's confidence should not be mistaken for arrogance; he remains grounded despite his achievements. At just 16, he made the bold decision to leave home for the bright lights of the Premier League and Liverpool, an experience that he describes as “humbling.”
“When you join a club of that stature, you see how high the level can really go,” he explained. “It humbles you a lot and shows you how far you need to go, but it also shows you that when you do well against those players, you can do it against anyone.”
This summer, the Cherries invested £25 million in the teenager, who is now a key hope for the Tartan Army as they aim for their first men's World Cup appearance in his lifetime.
Despite the pressure, the soft-spoken and polite Gannon-Doak downplays his role. “I don’t really feel that responsibility, to be honest,” he remarked, acknowledging the experience of other players in the squad. “We’ve got a really good squad, so I don’t feel the responsibility is solely on me; it’s on all of us to perform as a team. Obviously, it would be great if I make a big contribution, but I really don’t care how we do it as long as we do it.”
Gannon-Doak is confident that Scotland will succeed. He missed the previous trip to Piraeus for the Nations League playoff in March due to injury, which was felt across the two legs, but he started against Greece last month when the Scots secured an unlikely late victory.
“They’ll be looking for a bit of revenge this weekend,” he acknowledged, reflecting on their previous encounter. “We’re all aware we weren’t at our best against Greece, but we still won, which is a sign of a good side. We’re all just relaxed. As we get closer to the match, we’ll focus up and get the job done.”