Graham Alexander has told his MK Dons players they must believe they can be future European trophy winners like Jarrod Bowen.
MK Dons should be inspired by Jarrod Bowen, pictured playing for Hereford United in 2014
This summer the Dons boss used West Ham winger Bowen as a perfect case study for his team — after the former non-league Hereford player scored the winner in the Europa Conference League final against Fiorentina to end the Hammers’ 43-year wait for a trophy.
He stayed at West Ham over the summer transfer window, as former Man United and Wolves player Paul Ince was pleased about.
But in an interview, boss at League Two MK Dons Graham Alexander, himself the oldest player to make his top-flight debut with Burnley aged 37, said: “There are many examples of players who climbed the divisions — the likes of Jamie Vardy, Michail Antonio, Bowen and, although not as high-profile, myself.
“I played at this level for seven years from 16 to 23 but ended up in the Premier League, scoring against Manchester City and Arsenal.
“When I was in League Two I didn’t think of being a Premier League player. I wanted to get to the next level then the next one after that and kept doing that."
The 51-year-old former Scunthorpe defensive player added: “It was my belief the Premier League was too far for me as a player and I’m sure Jarrod Bowen would have been thinking that at Hereford rather than, ‘I’ll be playing in a European final one day and scoring the winner!’
“This’s what players must believe. It might not happen overnight, might not happen in the next month or the next two seasons."
Bowen, 26, also netted West Ham's first goal of the Premier League season but found time on Tuesday to watch Hereford win at Chester via the online live stream. That's despite reality TV star girlfriend Dani Dyer, daughter of Danny Dyer, recently giving birth to the couple's twins.