Young Gun: Harrison Dudziak

Our Young Gun series gets to know the academy youngsters kicking off their careers at Sobha Realty Training Centre.

Harrison Dudziak spoke to us recently, and here's what he had to say about the first ever Swindon goalscorer, looking up to Iniesta and supporting QPR.

I grew up in St John’s Wood, north-west London. The first team I played for was Hampstead, who I joined when I was five. I spent a few years there, playing both for the club and my school. 

I have a younger brother who plays Sunday league and – fun fact! – one of my great-great-great-grandfathers, Alfred Cockbill, scored the first-ever goal for Swindon Town. That’s a unique piece of family history! 

Growing up, my idol was Andres Iniesta. He was a magician on the ball – creative, composed and capable of doing it all. I’ve always tried to model my game on him. I’m also a lifelong Queens Park Rangers supporter. My dad supports them, and he took me to Loftus Road when I was about six. We had a season ticket and went to games often. Some of my favourite players were Adel Taarabt, Ebere Eze and Charlie Austin. QPR aren’t doing great now, but we’ve had some incredible talents over the years.

One day a Brentford scout came to take a PE lesson at my school. I guess he liked what he saw because he invited me for a trial. I went and ended up signing for Brentford at the age of six. I’ve always played as a midfielder, even back then. I stayed at Brentford until the under-10s, but unfortunately their academy shut down. I didn’t fully understand why. I was young, so it didn’t hit me as hard as it would have if I’d been older. They kept their set-up for under-16s and above but, for me, it was the end of my time there. Luckily, one of the Brentford scouts moved to Arsenal and recommended me for a trial. I got in and officially signed with Arsenal at the end of my under-10s season. 

One of my standout memories from the Hale End days was winning the Iber Cup at under-12s, a national competition for Premier League academies. We also won a tournament during a trip to Dallas, which was another incredible experience.

"Wilshere gave me the armband to help develop my leadership skills."

When I got my scholarship I was excited but nervous about transitioning to the Sobha Realty Training Centre, as I didn’t know what to expect. The environment felt professional right away. It’s a big step up – you go from balancing school and football to focusing on your career. You also have to mature quickly. 

As a scholar I captained the under-18s. I lead more by example than by being vocal, trying to set high standards in training and matches. I was also captain at Brentford. Jack Wilshere, my old coach at Arsenal, gave me the armband to help develop my leadership skills and take on more responsibility. 

In the summer of 2024 I signed my first professional deal with Arsenal. It was a proud moment for me and my family. It’s something so many young players dream of, and it’s motivated me to keep pushing forward. The jump from under-18s to under-21s is significant – the speed of the game and tactical demands are on another level. The EFL Trophy games were a great introduction to men’s football, which is faster and more physical.

Sometimes we train with the first team, and the experience is invaluable. Playing against top players like Odegaard and Jorginho teaches you a lot. Odegaard’s sharpness and Jorginho’s intelligence and positioning are incredible. Even if you can’t always get near the ball, you learn from their movement and decision-making. 

This season I’ve played every minute of our UEFA Youth League games. One key takeaway is how competitive European teams are – they’ll do whatever it takes to win, including pressuring referees for every decision. Tactically, they’re sharp, especially in how they press and set up, which has been a great challenge. 

Looking ahead, my main goal for 2025 is to stay fit, play as many games as possible for the under-21s, and have a real impact. I’m also hoping to make the first-team bench at some point. I’d describe myself as a technical, energetic box-to-box midfielder with an eye for a pass.