To loan or not to loan?

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A month ago, Everton?s promising Irish defender, Shane Duffy, was loaned to Championship playoff hopefuls, Burnley. The move was seen by many fans to be a perfect move for the defender, allowing him to gain valuable first-team experience at a high level. Everton fans were hopeful that it would prove to be successful, given that fellow Irish team-mate, Seamus Coleman, who is now a permanent fixture in the Everton team, found himself in a similar situation last season when he was loaned to Blackpool, while Burnley fans hoped he would strengthen their leaky defence. However, it was not to be.

When Eddie Howe announced the signing of Duffy on loan, it seemed as if the Irish under-21 international would slot straight into the Burnley defence. Considering that Howe had a wealth of central defenders available to him, the acquisition of Duffy suggested that he was viewed as a better option than Howe?s current defenders. On signing Duffy, the Burnley manager praised Duffy?s ability and his ?fantastic attitude?, declaring that, despite his young age and inexperience, he would come into contention to play, but he also suggested that the interest in Duffy was long-term.

Indeed, not surprisingly, Duffy immediately went into the Burnley starting 11 for the home game against Ipswich and, although Howe?s men lost the game 2-1, the general consensus was that Duffy acquitted himself reasonably well, considering that it was the young man?s first competitive club game since the life-threatening injury he suffered last May ? and, amazingly, only his third in his entire career. After the game, Eddie Howe spoke in encouraging terms about Duffy?s performance, stating that, overall, he was pleased.

However, in the following game, away to Leicester, much to the surprise of fans, Howe had once again changed his defence, dropping Shane Duffy to the bench, with 32-year-old Michael Duff being the favoured partner to Andre Bikey. Burnley suffered their heaviest league defeat of the season, losing 4-0, and both Burnley and Everton fans wondered if Howe was right to drop the 19-year-old... In the next three games, Duffy remained on the bench and Burnley lost a further game but the won the next two.

When Duffy returned to Everton at the end of his loan deal, Eddie Howe justified his decision to drop Duffy by saying that he preferred the experienced partnership of Michael Duff and Andre Bikey, concluding that he felt he was actually ?quite well off for centre halves? ? a statement which raised a few eyebrows. If that was the case, what was the point in signing Duffy to sit on the bench? He has been doing that all season at a Premier League club.

Nevertheless, Howe reiterated his view that Duffy?s loan deal was done with ?half an eye on next year?, suggesting that Burnley are still interested in Duffy and will continue to monitor his performances in pre-season. It remains to be seen whether David Moyes will be willing to let one of his most promising prospects join Burnley on a long-term loan or even permanently. If Moyes is interested in the development of his young players, the fact that Duffy played just one out of five games will be a cause for concern.

Meanwhile, Duffy went straight back into the Everton squad for the away game to Manchester United, making the bench as back-up for Sylvain Distin and England international Phil Jagielka. If Burnley do express interest in Duffy next season, the young Irishman just might have been put off by his experience. After all, if he wishes to sit on the bench, he can stay at Everton.

Ryan Kelly, Ireland     Posted 23/04/2011 at 21:31:38

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