Originally Posted by
Adrian Durham
I hate the loan system. This window has seen some bizarre deals – loans with a view to a permanent signing, loans with an obligation to sign permanently, a two-year loan deal, loans between Premier League clubs, and loans with the club sending the player out STILL paying his wages.
Supporting a club is belonging to a club, being part of a club. The team representing that club goes on to the field and can generate passions and memories that very few other things in life can bring.
I don’t expect the players to have the same love and support for a club that the fans have. But I do expect commitment for all the time they are there.
At a time when, at the top level of our game, players have become so distant from fans, the plethora of loans sadly increase that distance.
Sunderland signed two players on loan on deadline day – Sebastian Coates from Liverpool, and Ricardo Alvarez from Inter Milan. I’ve no reason to doubt they will both put in 100 per cent when asked to play for their ‘temporary’ club.
But ultimately these players don’t belong to Sunderland. They’re not as committed to the club, because they don’t belong there.
The same applies to all loans, although the bizarre nature of Alvaro Negredo’s ‘loan’ switch from Manchester City to Valencia is a bit different. He’s joined on loan, but at the end of his year-long stay back in Spain, Valencia are obliged to buy him from City.
So why not just buy him now?
And what’s to stop Valencia carrying out their obligation of signing him permanently next summer, but then immediately selling him on to a Premier League club, possibly one of City’s rivals?
In this case, the commitment of Valencia to the player is questionable.
Players loaned between Premier League clubs simply shouldn’t be allowed. The only exceptions should be Under 21s – loan moves for Jack Wilshere, Daniel Sturridge and, long before that, David Beckham proved fruitful.
But on deadline day Gaston Ramirez, an international who set up Uruguay’s winning goal against Italy to take them through the group stage in Brazil, a player who was Southampton’s record signing only two years ago, a ‘statement’ signing after the club’s fantastic rise from the depths of League One back to the Premier League, joined top-flight rivals Hull City on a season-long loan.
It’s a clever move from Steve Bruce – his record signing Abel Hernandez was also at the World Cup with Uruguay. The £9.5million striker might settle in quicker with a familiar face close by.
Having lived in Hull I can see where Bruce is coming from with that thinking.
But one Premier League club borrowing a World Cup player from another Premier League club is just wrong. If you want him – buy him.
If you can’t afford to buy him, then don’t buy him. Loans like these can sometimes depend on which managers or chairmen are friendly with each other – this isn’t how football should work.
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Some loans are understandable – Radamel Falcao’s serious injury that forced him to miss the World Cup would be enough to make any club want to ‘try before they buy.’
A serious glut of injuries, or the sudden departure of a key player, might also lead to loan moves. Some temporary transfers are understandable, but generally I’m not in favour of loans.
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