LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 01: Max Dowman of Arsenal arrives at the stadium prior to the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD2 match between Arsenal FC and Olympiacos FC at Arsenal Stadium on October 01, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
Arsenal star Max Dowman has had a breakthrough week
Father of Arsenal star Max Dowman, Robert Dowman, has called out a coach over comments about the 16-year-old wonderkid.
Dowman registered his first Premier League strike at the weekend for Arsenal, coming off the bench against Everton to play a major role in Viktor Gyokeres' breakthrough goal, before the teenager took advantage of an empty net to double the Gunners' lead.
“I've seen a lot of players with talent but at 16, very few that can cope with that level of demand,” Arteta said in his press conference after the win, which sent his side nine points clear at the top of the table.
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Arsenal starlet Max Dowman's dad: Coach only played ‘a small part of his journey’
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On Monday morning following Dowman's heroics, Temisan Williams appeared on talkSPORT with Ally McCoist and Gabriel Agbonlahor, speaking about his rise through the academy – but now, Robert Dowman has slammed the coach in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Dowman Snr even claimed that he has already spoken with Williams, asking him to “refrain” from what he described as “a really sad piece of attempted self-promotion.”
Max Dowman gets an arm around the shoulder from Declan Rice
Max Dowman gets an arm around the shoulder from Declan Rice
“I remember him putting the cones out at training a few times but that’s about it,” Dowman's father wrote. “We have so many fabulous coaches who we are so grateful to. He is certainly not one of them.”
Temisan – who has coached at Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham, has since reacted himself, in a post of his own on X (formerly Twitter).
“Following Rob Dowman’s comments today: I have spoken with Rob Dowman and apologised to him and his family,” Williams said.
“Going forward, I will not be discussing Max Dowman’s development. I wish Rob Dowman and his family nothing but continued success.”
Although Dowman is now the youngest player to have ever scored in the Premier League, the playmaker isn't the youngest-ever appearance holder in the division: that record is held by Arsenal team-mate Ethan Nwaneri.
The Chelmsford-born attacker is the youngest-ever goalscorer for England under-19s, however, the youngest-ever starter for the Gunners – breaking the record against Brighton & Hove Albion in the League Cup earlier this season – and the youngest player to have ever appeared in the Champions League.
Dowman has already signed a pre-contract agreement with the Gunners, which allows him to sign professional terms when he turns 17 in December of this year.
Arsenal take on Bayer Leverkusen tonight, as Champions League action returns to North London.
An aerial view of Wembley Stadium