Max Dowman: Rising Star of Arsenal - Rooney's Insights and Advice

Wayne Rooney has been vocal about Max Dowman, the 15-year-old Arsenal winger who recently made his Premier League debut. Dowman, who came off the bench during Arsenal's 5-0 victory over Leeds United, became the second-youngest player to play for the club at just 15 years and 234 days old.

Rooney, who made his Everton debut at 16, understands the challenges Dowman is likely to face. Reflecting on his own experiences, Rooney offered advice to the young talent on his new BBC podcast, The Wayne Rooney Show.

Rooney's Reflections:

"To play at that age in the Premier League is crazy," Rooney said. "I know I played when I was young, but I think he's like 150 days younger than I was or more. It's just refreshing to see a young lad get his opportunity, and, even though he's playing for Arsenal, every time he cuts inside you go 'shoot'. You want him to put it in the top corner."

The Debut:

While Dowman didn't score on his debut, he did win a penalty late in the game. Rooney expressed relief that the 15-year-old wasn't tasked with taking it.

"If he gets it and scores, it's great, but I was thinking if he misses that's the difference in being an absolute success story and... all of sudden you get everyone, not everyone, but online people having a go at him," Rooney added. "So I was really pleased he didn't, but it was such an impressive debut."

Staying Grounded:

Rooney emphasized the importance of staying grounded as Dowman's profile grows.

"For Max and his family and friends, I'm sure they're all living in a dream and a fairy tale and it probably hasn't hit home yet," Rooney said. "But you can see his future is so bright, he is going to have a massive future. Everyone you speak to in football, the same name keeps coming back: Max Dowman."

Advice from the Heart:

Rooney's main advice for Dowman is simple: enjoy the journey.

"Enjoy it. I'm sure we're going to see so much of him, so much of his talent and goals and assists, whatever," he said. "Alan Stubbs always said to me years ago, 'make sure you enjoy it because it goes very quickly'. When you're young, you don't think that or you sometimes forget that, but enjoy it and make the most of it."

Conclusion:

Max Dowman's debut has certainly made waves in the football world. With Rooney's guidance and his own talent, the young Arsenal star has a promising future ahead. Watch the Wayne Rooney Show on BBC Sport YouTube and iPlayer, or listen on BBC Sounds for more insights.