Ben Doak Secures Spot in Liverpool's Senior Squad
Liverpool has revealed their squad for the upcoming Europa League, but there is one surprising omission. Jurgen Klopp was forced to leave out third-choice goalkeeper Adrian due to UEFA rules. Instead, 17-year-old Ben Doak has stepped up and secured a place in the Reds' senior squad.
Impressive Performance Puts Doak in the Spotlight
Doak has been making waves recently after his impressive performance for the Scotland U21 team against Spain went viral. This promising starlet has caught the attention of Klopp and is now set to make his mark on the European stage.
Adrian Exiled from Europa League Team Sheet
Unfortunately for Premier League winner Adrian, he has been excluded from Liverpool's Europa League squad. The deadline for clubs to submit their squad list to UEFA recently passed, with a maximum of 25 players allowed on the A list. This meant that Klopp had to make a difficult decision and chose to cut the experienced shot-stopper from his selection.
Selection Criteria and Tough Decisions
UEFA regulations require clubs to allocate a minimum of eight spots on the A list to "locally trained" players, with a maximum of four "association trained." This forced Liverpool to choose eight players who were trained by clubs in the same national league from ages 15 to 21, with four of them coming from the club's own youth system. However, teams can register an unlimited number of players on their B list, consisting of players born on or after January 1st, 2002, who have spent at least two years at the club.
Doak's Unique Position and Journey
Doak's journey to Liverpool's senior squad has been an interesting one. Having spent his youth career at Scottish sides Ayr United and Celtic, he had to take up one of the 17 "foreign" slots in Liverpool's Europa League squad. This is because Scotland is not part of the English FA, which meant that Doak does not qualify as either List B eligible or "locally trained."
Hope for Adrian and the Squad's Future
Despite being excluded from the Europa League squad, there is still hope for Adrian. A loophole in the UEFA rule book allows him to feature in the event of a long-term injury to Alisson or Caoimhin Kelleher. As Liverpool prepares to kick off their campaign in Group E against LASK on September 21st, the squad remains unchanged, apart from the surprising exclusion of Adrian.
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