Josh Doig – The Latest Scottish Fullback Flourishing in Italy
- Liam Scahill
- Dec 20, 2022
- 3 min read
Scotland has been fertile lands in recent times for dynamic and industrious fullbacks, the nation is spoilt for choice when it comes to their burgeoning batch of wing speedsters.
Andy Robertson and Kieran Terney are the highest profile, but they are among a talented bunch of Scottish fullbacks making their mark in the game.
The latest off the conveyor belt is former Hibs star Josh Doig.
The youngster has given Hellas Verona supporters reason to smile in a so far torturous season, if his flashes of quality continue to flourish, he may well give their coffers a healthy transfer fee too.
Bereft of the support of family and friends in his native lands, the youngster’s footballing education is progressing well in Serie A.
The 20-year-old has managed two goals and two assists from a mere 548 minutes of league action this season.
As with all modern fullbacks the player’s natural instinct is to attack rather than defend, he offers excellent width and regularly finds himself in the opposition box.
Doig is mooted to be already on the transfer radar of other Serie A clubs which will be music to the ears his former club Hibs, they stand to scoop a significant cut of any future transfer fee after securing a significant sell-on percentage.
The dynamic-wing-merchant moved to Italy just last summer for a fee believed to be in the region of £3-million-pounds.
Shrewd Atalanta gaffer Gian Piero Gasperini is understood to be admirer of the Scotland U21 international.
The Scottish Influx Into Serie A
Scottish players are walking the yellow brick road to Serie A with increasing frequency in recent times, Brentford star Aaron Hickey excited Bologna fans with his swashbuckling displays after being signed from Hearts in September 2020.
His star burnt bright enough to capture the attention and money of the Premier League, Hickey’s success inspired Bologna to try and repeat the trick, the club signed another Scotland international Lewis Ferguson from Aberdeen in July 2022.
Jordan & Souness Enjoyed Fruitful Spells In Italian Football
Scottish legends Graham Souness and Joe Jordan played in Italian football in the past and who could blame the latest generation from following in their footsteps.
The player gets to experience a new culture both on and off the pitch, for defenders of any position there is no better place to hone your craft than Serie A.
Hibs Integral To Doig’s Development
Doig can play as a winger such is his attacking prowess but during his tutelage at the Edinburgh outfit Hibernian, he operated more as an orthodox fullback.
He progressed through the youth teams until he made the breakthrough into the senior side in August 2020, his marauding runs down the left flank for the youth teams were too hard to ignore.
At just 19, Doig impressed during his time at Easter Road quickly establishing himself as one of the best fullbacks in the division.
He played 4988 minutes of action in the Scottish premiership across two seasons, conjuring one goal and three assists.
His rise has been rapid but what makes the player such an intriguing proposition is his attacking powers, that seem to be evolving since moving to Italy.
Doig's Heatmap Since Moving To Serie A - (Via WyScout)
Fleet of foot and comfortable running at players Doig is an exciting, rare player, he excels with the ball at his feet.
Hellas Verona are in a dogfight to survive this season in Serie A, they are rooted to the bottom of the table and after 15 games they have just five points.
Doig with his attacking ethos has found himself in and out of a team in a relegation dogfight, scrambling to survive.
One cannot help but wonder how the youngster might perform in a team that is more focused on attacking instead of defending.
His willingness to charge up the pitch whenever he picks up possession wreaks havoc, that is the reason the inexperienced player is such a valuable commodity.
According to Italian news outlet Calciomercato.com giants Inter Milan are eying Doig in the event the Nerazzurri’s lose their German wingback Robin Gosens.
Inter are not alone in their admiration for the young Scott, with speculation linking Roma, Lazio, Napoli, Atalanta, and Bologna to the player.
Doig is a player of immense potential that warrants attention even at this early juncture of his career, Hellas Verona may be forced to cash in sooner rather than later given their struggles of late.
By Liam Scahill
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