Max Dowman is good enough to go to the World Cup, but Thomas Tuchel must say no
England will reap far greater reward by allowing Arsenal wonderkid sufficient time to develop and mature
Max Dowman should not go to the World Cup with England. It is not even a debate. This one should be stopped now.
Not because he is not good enough. There is no doubt in my mind, having watched him live on more than one occasion, that he is the best talent England has produced since Wayne Rooney burst on the scene in 2002 with that stunning goal for Everton against Arsenal aged just 16 years and 360 days.
That is 287 days older than Dowman was when he scored – against Everton and for Arsenal this time – on Saturday in what could well be the defining image of what looks like his club’s first title in 22 years.
I also have no doubt Dowman will be part of the England senior squad – and a key part of the team – for the next European Championship when he will be just 18, and the next World Cup when he will be 20.
Indeed by the Euros in 2044 Dowman will still be only 34. He will hopefully – permitting injury, form, and maybe another Max Dowman coming through – have played in four World Cups and five Euros by the end of that tournament. So, there is plenty of time. There is also a duty of care from football, from the media, from Arsenal and England to make sure he is treated well. As a young person, more importantly, than as a player. He should be allowed time to develop and mature.
No rush to leave age groups
In fairness, that seems to have been the case thus far. Arsenal and Mikel Arteta have handled him superbly and while he already plays for the England Under-19s – two age groups up – the Football Association is aware it has to look after him.
The expectation is that he will stay with that age group for the forthcoming international fixtures when the squad is announced on Friday.
Will Antwi’s team have important matches against Serbia, Poland and Portugal to make sure they reach this summer’s Under-19 Euro finals which are being hosted in Wales.
That will provide the perfect introduction for Dowman – and Liverpool’s 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha – to tournament football. Incidentally that tournament runs from June 28 to July 11 which will be quite handy as it means Dowman can get his GCSEs out of the way before meeting up. Some may laugh at that but education and qualifications are as important and should be respected.
Even so, Thomas Tuchel will be asked about the Arsenal wonderkid when he announces his senior squad, also on Friday, for the last time before he finalises his World Cup selection.
His answer should be unequivocal: Dowman is an exceptional prospect who will have the world at his feet so let us just ensure he develops properly. He seems to be capable of having a long and glorious career and we must not rush him if he is to fulfil all that potential.
What if he finishes the season strongly?
The counter-argument, which has some merit of course, is what if Dowman gets into the Arsenal side and is flying for the rest of the season, helping them win the Premier League, maybe even the FA Cup and reach the Champions League final? Surely then the case for him will be irresistible. Plus, we never really know when a player will peak. No one expected Michael Owen’s best years for England to be before he turned 21.
There is also the far more recent and compelling example of Lamine Yamal. The winger was just 16 years and 57 days old – 16 days younger than Dowman – when he made his debut for Spain, in a Euro 2024 qualifier, scoring against Georgia. He was only 17 years and one day old when he played and starred in the final against England, providing the assist for Nico Williams’ opening goal.
And expectation, pressure, media attention is no greater in England than it is in Spain.
So what is the problem? To counter the Yamal example you can look to another Arsenal youngster: Theo Walcott. He was 17 when selected by Sven-Goran Eriksson for England’s 2006 World Cup squad after lobbying from Arsène Wenger despite him not having played a single minute in the Premier League.
Walcott went on to have a fine career but it was a mistake to take him. It hindered him and England with Steven Gerrard later writing in his autobiography that Walcott had no “right” to be there. He was picked in preference to seasoned strikers Jermain Defoe and Darren Bent.
Which is another issue with Dowman. If, say, he was a centre-forward who could be the understudy to Harry Kane there is a case because England are lacking in that area.
But he is a wide player and England have an abundance of them. Would it be fair and, more importantly, right for the squad if he is selected instead of experienced players such as Anthony Gordon, Noni Madueke and Jarrod Bowen?
We rush for something new, something exciting, something shiny, without considering the consequences. Not just for the player but the team. There is nothing wrong with the adage that “if you are good enough you are old enough”, apparently first adopted by Sir Matt Busby. And he knew what it meant to throw in the Babes.
But England do not need Dowman now. There is no need to take the risk and create an unnecessary circus. England surely do not want that sideshow.
Instead England need Dowman for the next 20 years not the next few months. Let us just allow him to develop and be the player he can be. England and Dowman will reap a far greater reward by doing that.
[Source: Daily Telegraph]
