Max Dowman’s dad launches livid ‘unhappy self-promotion’ rant at ex-Arsenal coach
Max Dowman became the Premier League’s youngest ever goalscorer on Saturday, but his dad Robert launched a furious rant at a former Arsenal coach’s ‘sad self-promotion’
Max Dowman became the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history(Image: Alex Pantling, Getty Images)
Arsenal wonderkid Max Dowman’s father has lashed out at a coach for suggesting he played a role in the teenager’s progression at the club. The winger, 16, became the Premier League’s youngest ever goalscorer on Saturday as the Gunners defeated Everton 2-0 to help Mikel Arteta’s team move nearer to their first top-flight crown in 22 years.
Temisan Williams featured on talkSPORT alongside Ally McCoist and Gabby Agbonlahor on Monday morning, where he was introduced as “Dowman’s former coach”. Williams discussed Dowman’s journey through the Arsenal academy and highlighted the player’s abilities.
However, Dowman’s father Robert Dowman took to X to express his fury. He said: “Listening to this guy Temisan Williams claiming he was any part of Max’s journey is a really sad piece of attempted self-promotion.
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“I have asked him previously to refrain from doing so, but still he pops up on talkSport this morning… I remember him putting the cones out at training a few times, but that’s about it. We have so many fabulous coaches who we are so grateful to. He is certainly not one of them…”
Speaking to McCoist and Agbonlahor, Williams praised Dowman extensively. He said: “It’s an incredible thing that Max has done, it’s brilliant for his family, the academy, the club, and the fans. He should just enjoy the moment, which I know he did.”
Speaking to McCoist and Agbonlahor, Williams raved about Dowman. He said: “I should start by saying, scouts have done a fantastic job. I was the Under-12s assistant coach. I was also able to see Max for two years, so a small part of his journey, but Max has always had that super strength of being able to carry the ball. That’s always been something he’s enjoyed, something he’s strong at and something we saw in training.”
Williams’ appearance on talkSPORT was not the first time he had praised the Arsenal prodigy. He told Hayters in August 2025: “He [Dowman] was probably one of the best-kept secrets in academy football.
“I knew, and others knew about Max from 2019, if not before, so that’s where no one heard about him, but of course, rightly so, because he was only nine, ten years of age.
“But when I got to Arsenal, I was told there’s a boy here who’s top quality, even from that age, and I hadn’t coached him in my first year because he was two years below.
“Max was always ready for challenges. His mindset was always, I want to push myself, and you could see that. It also helped that physically, he could cope with the challenge above, so his physical profile allowed him to cope, and of course, his super strength, which we are seeing on the world stage now, is his ability to carry the ball with his left foot.
“That’s always been the case with Max, and usually what is your super strength from when you’re younger is going to be the one that gets you into the first team and keeps you there.”
