“”When I was at the Premier League we always took the view that, given the money in the Premier League, you didn’t need loans - you should be able to stand on your own two feet.”

The words of chief executive Rick Parry this weekend as he called for a ban on loans in the Premier League.

He continued “There is enough money around to make transfer deals permanent. That stood for over 10 years. It’s only in the last two or three years we have had the loan system in the Premier League.”

“It worked fine without it. There is a sense that it can be open to abuse. But clearly it was the will of the clubs to allow the relaxation of it and clearly the majority are in favour.”

Having just loaned young midfielder Danny Guthrie to Bolton for a season, and having last season loaned Scott Carson to Charlton and Chris Kirkland to Wigan (before his move became permanent). And with Javier Mascherano’s transfer details never being disclosed after that being initially reported as a loan move, is it hypocritical of Parry to be coming out with these comments?

Consider that Carson now is clearly better off than he would have been had he not been loaned out and played second - or third - fiddle to Pepe Reina all last season. And away from Liverpool where clubs like West Brom can use the loan system to their advantage to get good young talents albeit for a season but allow them to bridge the already huge and widening gap between the Premier League’s big bucks and promoted teams.

Further more, with Rafa Benitez not a fan of the reserve structure in England, he evidently sees loaning young talents as the best way to give them first team experience - see Guthrie who did well at Southampton at the end of last season and now will play under Sammy Lee at Bolton for the season.

Although most were not loaned to Premier League sides, Liverpool loaned 13 players out last season so evidently scrapping the loan system completely wouldn’t be suggested by Parry that’s for sure!

Matt Ladson
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Tags: loans, non lfc, rick parry