Football Insider exclusive as Arsenal starlet Max Dowman stares across a split image towards manager Mikel Arteta.
Football Insider exclusive as Arsenal starlet Max Dowman stares across a split image towards manager Mikel Arteta.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta needs to be more careful about how he treats young players in public view.
That is according to former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who believes that the Spaniard was too hard on youngster Max Dowman after his recent red card against Fleetwood Town.
Dowman was shown red after kicking out following a heavy challenge late on in the game, with Arteta appearing to speak aggressively in the starlet’s face as he left the pitch.
Wyness believes that the boss went a little over the top with his reaction, but also does not feel that it should have been an “arm around the shoulder” situation.
Arsenal went on to lose the game in a penalty shootout, as they suffered an embarrassing exit from the Carabao Cup.
However, Wyness does not expect there to be any lasting damage between Dowman and Arteta.
Why Max Dowman could call out Mikel Arteta
Everton’s former chief Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes that Arteta must rein in his own actions before he begins to criticise outbursts from his players.
The Spaniard has already been booked twice this season for leaving his technical area, and faces a ban if he suffers the same fate once more.
Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness warned that it could be easy for someone like Dowman to turn around and call him out for that.
“The reality is that I think Mikel has got to be careful about that. I don't think Dowman actually deserved to be scowled at. I thought it was an understandable reaction to the tackle,” he said.
“Somebody was trying to take his legs out big time, and I could understand it. I don't think Arteta needed to be that rough on him.
“Arteta's got to think about his own technical area infringements, as that's something that a young player might say well, hang on mate, if you're going to preach, then practice what you preach.
“I thought it was a little bit over the top, but I don't necessarily think it was going to be an arm around the shoulder and say, don't worry about it, I get that, but I think it was just a little bit wrong in terms of the way that Mikel handled it, but I'm sure that they're all good.”
Arsenal set sights on Kai Urban transfer
Football Insider revealed on Wednesday that Arsenal are keen to sign Rangers starlet Kai Urban and add him to their academy setup.
The athletic right-back is tipped to have a huge future ahead of him at Ibrox, and represents Scotland at U15 level.
Sources say that Arsenal view Urban as a young talent with the potential to develop into a Premier League player in future.
They have brought several impressive young talents through their ranks in recent years, and are now working to try and prise Urban away from his boyhood club.