Loan Repayment

LOAN REPAYMENT

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hey’ve called for feeder clubs, B Teams and a minimum number of home-grown players in matchday squads. But Andros Townsend – man of the match on his international debut on Friday - is living proof that a successful system is already in place, it just needs a bit more trust.

It was his determined run down the right-flank which fashioned England’s opener, before he unleashed an unstoppable 20-yard-strike of his own to all but seal the win which moved Roy Hodgson’s side to the summit of Group H.

His pace, power and perseverance – his every touch met by a mass of Montenegrin defenders – should be enough to cement his spot in tonight’s starting line-up, and leave the injured Theo Walcott seriously worried about an extended stay in the ITV studio.

The 22-year-old joined Queens Park Rangers on loan in January, borrowed from boyhood club Tottenham Hotspur to save former boss Harry Redknapp’s new side from the drop.

Rangers’ problems were perhaps too grave for a man with only five Premier League appearances to his name, but a string of assured performances provided him the perfect platform to push for the first team at his parent club.

Ok, there was a bit of luck involved too – Gareth Bale departed and Aaron Lennon got injured – but rather than delve in to the market for more wide-men, manager Andre Villas-Boas handed a starting role to a player who’d been waiting four years for a chance.

Since signing pro-forms at Spurs, Townsend has been farmed out on eight separate occasions to teams lower down the football ladder. He represented the likes of Leyton Orient, Yeovil Town and Milton Keynes Dons in the third tier before Redknapp returned to resuscitate a career that seemed to be going round in circles.

Who knows where Townsend would have ended up were it not for his old boss? I’ll hazard a guess at Tottenham’s reserves followed by yet another loan to The Championship, where he had spells with Watford, Birmingham City and Leeds United. A permanent move to Millwall reportedly fell through in 2011.

There are dozens in the same position: Under 21 internationals Wilfried Zaha and Nathaniel Chalobah flourished in the Football League last year yet one has been rarely used since joining Manchester United in the summer, while the other is on an emergency loan at Nottingham Forest.

After starring on loan for Watford in 2012/13, Chalobah returned to Chelsea in the summer only to find himself back in the second tier following the sale of Adlene Guedioura to Crystal Palace.

The Eagles forked out around three million pounds for the Algerian while Chalobah -surely a cheaper, albeit temporary alternative – sat around watching while Jose Mourinho stuffed his shopping trolley full of midfielders as if he were on Supermarket Sweep.

Naturally The Blues don’t want to sell the 18-year-old, but a season-long loan could have done him the world of good, particularly in a World Cup year.

Playing in The Championship may get you games, but will it get you noticed? By your club – perhaps, but you won’t find Hodgson sat inside the City Ground watching you strut your stuff on a nippy night in November.

The transfer window is flawed in many ways, perhaps no more so than when a player finds himself out of favour post-deadline day. They are left with two options: rot in the reserves or drop down a division.

Of course the latter can benefit some players, take Ross Barkley for example, who spent time with both Leeds United and Sheffield Wednesday in 2012/13. He’s now an established member of the Everton engine room and made his England debut back in August.

Roberto Martinez has shown faith in his Scouse starlet and is being duly rewarded. Another manager may have sent him back to The Championship.

Townsend is one of six players who featured in Friday’s victory to have benefitted from first team football at another Premier League club.

Joe Hart used a loan spell at Birmingham to pinch back his place from the experienced Shay Given, Kyle Walker and James Milner spent time on the other side of the second city with Aston Villa (on loan from Spurs and Newcastle United respectively) while Jack Wilshere and Daniel Sturridge have both been borrowed by Bolton Wanderers.

The players are good enough; they just need the platform to prove it.