England U20 boss makes loan point on Man City youngster

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,