England Under-20 boss Ian Foster feels football needs to change the loan rules to benefit the country's young players.
Currently clubs can sign players on loan for either an entire campaign or until the next transfer window opens. But Foster wants that to change, citing Manchester City starlet Liam Delap's season as the perfect example.
Delap, who has made six senior appearances for City, ended the campaign at Preston North End having spent the first half of the season on loan at Stoke City. He made only 20 league starts across the two clubs with his prospects in the Midlands hampered by a change of manager. And Foster feels the current loan system can hamper youngsters.
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"I think perhaps we need to look at shortening loans, because the game is so volatile and managers change so frequently it can be unfair on players who are on loan at a club," said Foster, speaking to the Manchester Evening News. "So perhaps we need to look at 90-day loans again to help our young players rather than going window to window and then finding out after four weeks that they are not going to be involved. That can be very difficult.
"But what Liam has had this season is wonderful experience. I don't think there is such a thing as bad loans. Players will learn what it is like to be in a first-team environment and learn what it is like to not play. That might sound strange but most of these boys have been first choice in every team they have been in since they were probably eight years of age, and now they are not so how do they deal with that?
"Liam is coming in good spirits, we know what he is capable of and we really like him. He has tournament experience from the Euros with us."
In contrast, Delap's City teammate Callum Doyle has enjoyed such a successful loan at Coventry City that his season is ongoing and he's not yet joined the England U20 camp. Mark Robins' side are chasing promotion to the Premier League through the play-offs.
The Sky Blues drew 0-0 with Middlesbrough in their first leg with the second leg taking place on Wednesday night. Should Doyle and Coventry progress, they would play either Sunderland or Luton Town in the final on May 27.
England U20s begin their campaign for glory on Monday night when they face Tunisia in their opening game. Uruguay and Iraq complete the group stage opposition and Doyle could miss all three matches due to his club commitments with the knockout rounds beginning on May 30.
The 19-year-old has made 44 appearances for Coventry in all competitions this season and is chasing a second successive promotion having been part of the Sunderland side who won the League One play-off final a year ago. And Foster believes the past two years have been the perfect learning environment for the Manchester-born teenager who is under contract at the Etihad until 2027.
"He couldn't have had two better loans," Foster added. "Sunderland in League One, a great experience and playing in front of huge crowds.
"A manager changes and leaves him out so he has to deal with that, he is living away from home for the first time, and then he comes back in the team and gets to Wembley and wins promotion and he is at it again with Coventry.
"I think it took him a short while to get used to the hustle and bustle in the Championship but his performances for Coventry have been excellent and are a huge part of where they now find themselves."
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