Nathan Lowe ‘mature beyond years’ as he makes big Stoke City step
Mark Robins has been talking about Nathan Lowe, Lewis Koumas’s best position and the future of other loan players at Stoke City
Nathan Lowe is returning to the Stoke City squad full of confidence and asking his manager all the right questions as he tries to make his mark.
The 19-year-old has been recalled to Clayton Wood after an 18-goal loan spell at Walsall, as Tom Cannon heads back to Leicester amid big money interest from the Championship promotion pack.
He will go straight into the squad for this afternoon’s clash at West Bromwich Albion (3pm) and Robins is looking forward to seeing him continue to develop.
“It’s two steps up but he’s a young player who’s full of confidence,” said Robins. “He’s our player, it’s not like we’ve brought in a player from League Two. He’s been with the club since he was nine years old and he’s a really, really intelligent young man – as is Tommy Simkin. I’ve spoken with him last week as well and they have a maturity beyond their years. They’re really inquisitive, ask intelligent questions, want to learn.
“I’m excited to work with young players, with players in general but young players especially. You don’t know what they’re going to be but they can be anything, anything they want.
“We’ve got to be careful because we put all our restrictions, hopes, fears and everything onto young shoulders when really all you’ve got to do is guide them and see where they go. That’s my aim with any player really. Some come with, we call it baggage but it’s life experience – some positive, some negative and you have to try to use that to your advantage, wherever you are in life but certainly in football and sport. Opportunity knocks for somebody else.”
