Estadio Santiago Bernabéu 7th June, 1967.
Fresh off their European Cup win, Celtic, and their diminutive winger, Jimmy Johnstone, travel to Spanish champions, Real Madrid, to showcase the best in European football.
Celtic had won plaudits en route to winning ol' Big Ears, yet the general consensus in a pre-colour television world (much less a pre-cable or pre-TransWorld Sports-Age) was that Real had too much, especially at home. We can imagine their ego was also bruised, and so beating the current holders of 'their' trophy would make them 'unofficial' champions' until they won it again, just as they had five times in a row only a decade earlier.
That was until Johnstone absolutely destroyed their defence.
If you think I'm being hyperbolic, have a wee gander at the above video. 'Destroyed' almost seems kind. 'Obliterated' or 'humiliated', might be more fitting descriptions, but we'll settle for the auld Scottish, 'pumped', only because I don't want my kids to ask me what 'ripped him a new one' means.
I mention this because I've just listened to a couple of podcasts (The Hampden Roar, and The Totally Football Show) where both tried to remember a player this good, of this type, who was Scottish.
Davie Cooper was the first one that popped to mind. He was world-class, and you don't need to take my word for that, with Ruud Gullit famously picking him as part of a 'Best XI' the Ballon D'Or winner had seen. Cooper embarrassed defences repeatedly, but it would be hard to say that he did it at the very top level, much to Gullit's amazement, who thought that he should have. But then, Cooper loved Rangers, and played for the team he loved, when he could have been playing anywhere. He was that good, and Rangers were that lucky. But that's for another day...
Johnstone, on the other hand, gave 'the world's most expensive defenders' the most torrid evening of their careers on that night in 1967, at the very top level.
The similarly expensive Josko Gvardiol might be looking forward to facing Portugal and then going back to Jeremy Doku, Phil Foden and Manchester City, just for a wee break, such was his experience of facing Doak over the last two international breaks.
Those of us who support the National Team more than any other, get a certain buzz during the club season whenever their footballing allegiances 'ping' on FotMob.
Recently, Doak has been 'pinging' for Middlesbrough at the top end of the Championship.
This is no surprise, for he has been trending for years for those of us who register an interest in Youth football.
Occasionally, you get players who excel at every level they play. 'Playing up' is the phrase proud parents use to describe their grassroots offspring wearing baggy tops and up against much bigger kids. When they become professionals, they are elite, by definition - so to stand out there, and then at every subsequent age group therein, is something really special. This has been Ben Doak's career. Still only 18, he has already played for Johnstone's Celtic and then top-flight and European football for the side sitting top of the best league in the world.
On Friday night, however, he stepped it up on the biggest stage of all. Under the lights, against world-class players, for his country.
Let me ask this positively; was it that much of a shock?
This season, Doak is in the 99th percentile for Progressive Passes Received, Progressive Carries and Touches in the Opponent's Penalty Box. He beats his man on average 3 times each game (95th percentile), and creates 6 shot-creating actions per 90 (97th percentile).
What that looks like in reality is receiving the ball out wide, ahead of the passer, which means he is on the shoulder of the last line of defence, and often under pressure. Then, owing to a low centre of gravity, and a somewhat stocky, powerful frame, he is adept at holding defenders off for that crucial yard to either turn, or lay it off first-time, looking for a return. If he has managed to spin the defender (see above), or laid it off before getting it back (see Boro's recent highlights) then he's now progressively carrying past the back line, with pace, into the box. This is where the defender 'stands him up', only for this to be exactly what Doak wants as he slows down, touching the ball a lot with his left foot, before then doing some step-overs for fun; able to go either way.
In short, if you're in this position, like Gvardiol, it's terrifying and you've already lost.
I want to suggest that all of this is achievable because of one thing; his awareness is exceptional.
Specifically, we were all amazed by his turn against Gvardiol because I doubt any one of us expected it. Those who have watched Doak for a while probably should have anticipated somewhat, but nope, all of us were amazed. Why? Because our awareness is not Ben Doak's awareness.
He can do it because he's already sensed where the defender is. He's so close to him that he can feel that momentum and use that energy of movement. If this sounds a bit 'biomechanical', then it's only because we don't often talk about balance with regards to footballers, yet it is the foundation of every feint and dummy. These subtleties belong to exceptional footballers, like Kenny Dalglish, who used to look at opponent's shadows before receiving the ball to work out where they were - to the complete bafflement of professionals he was trying to coach in later years. (Google Kevin Kilbane talking about it)
Awareness of your opponent, to suck them in, and spin around them, using their energy against themselves. This is what Ben Doak does - or have we already forgotten he did it to France's left-back a year ago?
In closing - he's remarkable, he's unique, he's... well... Jinky.
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