Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
They say hindsight is a wonderful thing, and Scotland midfielder Ben Gannon-Doke hopes it’s a sentiment that will come true this summer.
The Bournemouth winger is part of Steve Clarke’s 26-man World Cup squad, after being forced to miss the European Championships for two years.
He was a surprise inclusion in Clarke’s initial selection for Euro 2024, but failure to fully recover from injury meant he missed the cut.
Please use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Scotland begin their journey to the United States to take part in the World Cup
The 20-year-old was heartbroken to miss the tournament in Germany, but he now believes it could be a blessing in disguise.
“The Euros probably came a bit early, but I don’t think I would have played if I had been there,” he said. Sky Sports News.
“I think if I had gone and played, I wouldn’t have given the best account of myself that I know I could have.
“I’m more prepared now than ever and ready to play in a tournament.”
The Scotland squad is already preparing for the country’s first World Cup since 1998 in the USA.
Gannon-Doc is one of eight members of the Scotland squad who were not born then, while 43-year-old goalkeeper Craig Gordon is perhaps the only player with genuine memories of the tournament in France.
“With younger guys like me and Findlay (Curtis) coming into the team, there’s an element of fearlessness,” he added.
“Experienced guys who have played 70 or 80 games for Scotland, they know how to manage these games. I think it’s a good mix.”
Craig Gordon is set to become the oldest player at this summer’s World Cup
Asked if Scotland could progress beyond the group stage at a major tournament, the former Liverpool player added: “It hasn’t been done before for Scottish teams, but we’ve got what we need to do and do it.
“I think when you see some of the boys’ form, we’re in a good place as a squad.
“If you ask one of the more experienced guys, they’ll say the same thing.”
Scotland’s World Cup squad in full:
Goalkeeper: Craig Gordon (Hearts), Angus Gunn (Nottingham Forest), Liam Kelly (Rangers).
Defender: Grant Hanley (Hibernian), Jack Hendry (Al Itifak), Aaron Hickey (Brentford), Dom Higham (Wrexham), Scott McKenna (Dinamo Zagreb), Nathan Patterson (Everton), Anthony Ralston (Celtic), Andy Robertson (TBC), John Souter (Rangers).
Midfielder: Ryan Christie (Bournemouth), Findlay Curtis (Rangers), Lewis Ferguson (Bologna), Ben Gannon-Doke (Bournemouth), Tyler Fletcher (Manchester United), John McGinn (Aston Villa), Kenny McLean (Norwich), Scott McTominay (NNA).
Forward: Che Adams (Torino), Lyndon Dykes (Charlton Athletic), George Hurst (Ipswich), Laurence Shankland (Rangers), Ross Stewart (Southampton).
