Jack Wilshere has high hopes for 14-year-old prodigy Max Dowman. The young starlet shone in Arsenal U18s’ recent 5-2 victory over Fulham, assisting four goals and earning praise from his coach.
Speaking to Arsenal club media, Wilshere said: “There’s always a concern when fielding such a young player in these matches, but if you’re good enough you’re old enough. He can be more consistent but he’s only 14 and hasn’t even started his GCSEs yet.
“We need to find a balance of letting him play and enjoy the game because of his age but also trying to get as much work into him as we can. Hopefully, we can fast-track him and when he goes over to the first team he’ll be more ready.”
Wilshire was pleased with the performance of his team, which included players from multiple age groups.
He said: “I really enjoyed the performance. We had a blend of players spanning from under-14s to under-18s. It’s always intriguing to see how they play together, how they fight together, and today, I felt we witnessed that in abundance.”
Wilshere also expressed confidence in the younger players’ ability to understand the team’s playing style and tactics.
He said: “It’s reassuring to know that if I field an under-14 who isn’t a regular in our training sessions, I can trust that they grasp our playing style and tactics. Today, they demonstrated that understanding flawlessly, which is a testament to the diligent work of all our coaches.”
Dowman is the youngest player in Arsenal’s Under-18 setup, but he has already turned heads, including Wilshere’s, with his performances.
“We take a holistic view of the academy, pushing our players to excel,” Wilshere said. “Debut opportunities aren’t handed out lightly, and Max has demonstrated over the past few months that he deserves this chance. There are others on the verge of stepping up as well.
“He handled the moment admirably, sending an important message to the team that when we introduce players, they possess the quality to contribute effectively.”
