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Dowell signs pro contract with Everton
(Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
The 17 year-old follows his U18s and U21s teammate Liam Walsh in committing his immediate future to the Blues and he expressed his delight to evertonfc.com:
“It's what I have wanted to do ever since I joined the Club, so it's great to be able to finally say I'm a professional footballer for Everton.
“I've been here since I was seven. I was with a few different clubs before that, but then I got the opportunity to join Everton and I've enjoyed everything about it all the way through the age groups."
The Ormskirk-born player has already made his first-team debut as a starter in the Europa League Group H match against FK Krasdnodar last December, a career highlight so far for the boyhood Blue.
“It was unbelievable and being an Evertonian myself, it was a dream come true," he said. "All my family are Blues as well so they were there watching and they were made up for me."
Reader Comments (15)
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2 Posted 24/03/2015 at 17:28:24
3 Posted 24/03/2015 at 17:33:16
I got a mental image of a coach (of a different club) talking tactics to the stomach of a heavily pregnant woman.
(does sound mad doesn't it)
5 Posted 24/03/2015 at 17:37:28
He was first spotted by Liverpool and was attending what they called their satellite training sessions just after he turned 7. He also did training sessions with Man City and Bolton.
However, he was (and still is, by the way) a season ticket holder at Everton so I got in touch with the club and asked them to see if they would be interested, which they were. After once Everton had seen him he stopped attending sessions at other clubs which was when he was just turned 7.
He only ever wanted to play for Everton and heÂ’s made up to sign his new contract
6 Posted 24/03/2015 at 17:36:39
Youre not alone he had played for other clubs before joining us at 7 years old. I really think these clubs have lost the plot surely at 7 you should be playing with your mates not structured coaching. I wouldnt mind if this meant that because clubs get hold of boys who are no more than infants, that clubs would be producing lots of local boys playing in the first team but that isn't what happens. So can anyone tell me why are we taking kids as young as 7 into Everton or any other club for that matter as I am sure they all do it.
7 Posted 24/03/2015 at 17:40:38
9 Posted 24/03/2015 at 18:03:43
I would seriously be wary of a lot of professional coaches, they may have their badges etc. it doesn't mean a thing, it's like having your union cards to get you on to building sites in the 60's and 70's, didn't mean you were any good at actually doing the job.
10 Posted 24/03/2015 at 19:22:58
12 Posted 24/03/2015 at 19:46:34
13 Posted 24/03/2015 at 20:47:17
My lad wasn't picked so not sure what level of coaching they get that young though.
14 Posted 25/03/2015 at 14:40:13
When I was kid in the 40s we spent hours kicking a small ball around in the street. None of us saw a full size ball till we were much older but we all had a good first touch. Wish I could say the same about Jags, Distin, Lukaku and Naismith. These lads must have been tripping over a big ball in nursery school. Each has the finesse of a Mongolian clog dancer.
15 Posted 25/03/2015 at 15:38:20
Re Dowell, I'm surprised he's not in either the England U17 or U18 squad , seems a strange omission given his talent.
16 Posted 25/03/2015 at 15:48:17
17 Posted 25/03/2015 at 15:55:48
18 Posted 25/03/2015 at 16:20:57
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1 Posted 24/03/2015 at 17:21:44
Can anybody explain this, or am I too old to understand anything?