The Loan Arranger

There is nothing corrupt about clubs in England. The league itself just has rules that make some clubs more equal than others.

Once upon a time loan deals were indeed a rarity, with clubs lending players to help them in times of need or when it was to further the development of a young player who, with the dearth of reserve team games, needed to play regular football at a competetive level. Now in 2011 Liverpool have loaned an Italian international in Alberto Aquilani while their midfield lacks balance, Chelsea loan to Fulham Gael Kakuta - a player they suffered a transfer ban for.

Meanwhile the rest of the Premier League go cap in hand to the 'big boys'. Bolton talk up with reverence their 'relationship' with the top clubs, to have Jack Wilshire and Daniel Sturridge play at The Reebok is supposwedly a gift in itself. They really should just put the live games of the Champions League side on a big screen there. Bolton build their side around a lightning quick goalscorer who will terrorise most of the league ... except Chelsea of course.


Everton suffered with their loan of Tim Howard from Manchester United. A vital two goal lead surrendered in the fixture at Goodison largely due to the inexperience of back-up Ian Turner playing his first league game. United felt the benefit of flexing their financial muscles. The title race became a farce from there on in.

The whole business needs reforming, beginning with the rule that allows Football League clubs to borrow up to 10 players at any time and to play five of them in a single match. This can't be what the majority of supporters want long term and although they may not care who gets them promotion or wins them a trophy, when their team is not playing well, how can they be expected to support and show loyalty for a side stuffed with players who are, after all, only waiting for the call to return to their five-star lives in the Premier League?

Arsenal currently have 19 players out on loan at clubs from Lincoln City to Juventus. Manchester City have 10, Tottenham Hotspur 14, Chelsea have 13 out, Liverpool 10.
Furthermore,the very fact that a club can turn around and prevent a player in the same division from featuring against them is not right after he has possibly made a major impact when playing against their rivals.

Also, while the system suits the bigger clubs whose top academy players can be sent out to get first team football without being risked at the top level, what about the young players coming through at these smaller clubs? The system can look like a further reflection of the ever-increasing gulf between the Premier League elite and everyone else. The more players brought in on loan, the further their own youngsters just go down the pecking order. We are not just talking about smaller lower league clubs either.

Last year Sir Alex Ferguson revealed he had offered players to Glasgow Rangers on loan, but the Scottish giants couldn't afford them. More and more clubs with very large squads are now looking to reduce their wage bills by attempting to get the loan clubs to pay a significant part of their wages.

Cardiff City and Leicester City, for instance, both have five loan players in their current squads as they challenge for promotion from the Championship and these are not just any old Premier League rejects.However, should these clubs manage to win promotion, how would they fare if their loan players were then to be recalled by their Premier League rivals?

This year, following the controversial departure of Darren Ferguson as Preston manager,Sir Alex Ferguson immediately recalled the players Man Utd had there on loan. while Danny Pugh and Michael Tonge were on the first train back to Stoke. Their absence has not improved Preston's results.

The United boss explained “I spoke with Preston’s owner, Trevor Hemmings, with whom I have a good relationship, and explained that the players did not want to go back. However, Maurice Lindsay had a slightly different take on the situation - "It's fairly obvious we paid the price for terminating the contract of his son. It was like having four tyres punctured on the same car."

Not really a level playing field is it?