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Jarrod Bowen sat in his dad’s battered old truck, the one with its wheels falling off, held together by memories. The one now filling with tears.
It was in that old truck that Sam Bowen once drove his young lad to matches around Hereford. And it was in that old truck, back in May, that father and son sat together soaking in the news that Jarrod Bowen was in the England squad.
‘He was crying his eyes out,’ says West Ham winger Bowen. ‘He was saying, “I can’t believe it, this is the truck we used to go to local games in. Look at you now, you’ve just been called up by England. I can’t take my hat off to you enough.”
West Ham winger Jarrod Bowen knows he will need to start the season strongly
‘He said he didn’t think I would make an England squad this early. Seven years is a long time, but when you look at where I’ve come from, from playing for Hereford in the Conference, them being expelled and me going to Hull. Fast forward five or six years. He goes, “I just can’t believe it”. It was an emotional moment, I had to step outside for a moment.’
Bowen’s call-up was reward for a stunning season for West Ham in which his 12 goals and 10 assists were the most of any English midfielder in the Premier League. He knows he will need to start this season just as strongly, beginning today against Manchester City, if he is to keep his place for the World Cup in Qatar.
The official squad announcement in May came at 2pm. Bowen found out in morning and told his dad over the phone a couple hours later, unable to keep him in suspense any longer as Bowen, his girlfriend, his brother, friend and sister all went for lunch at The Flying Dutchman cafe in Leominster. Each time he tried, the conversation lasted mere seconds.
‘I rang and told him and he just said: “I’ll speak to you later.” I could tell he was just in bits. He did it about five times. He kept answering the phone and going “Hello?” As soon as I asked him if he was all right, soon as I said alright, he just went…’
Premier League haul of 12 goals and 10 assists was the best by English midfielder last season
But it was not just Bowen’s dad struggling to keep emotions in check. ‘There were people in the little café looking round wondering what this lot at are going
