AUDIO: Doncaster Rovers boss Darren Ferguson unworried about plans to scrap emergency loan window

Darren Ferguson is not unduly worried about FIFA's plans to scrap the emergency loan window.
Darren FergusonDarren Ferguson
Darren Ferguson

The current emergency window, which runs until late March, is set to be the last of its kind.

FIFA want every country to be brought into line and say scrapping the short term system will protect the ‘sporting integrity of competitions’.

Darren FergusonDarren Ferguson
Darren Ferguson
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The fear among some Football League managers is that scrapping emergency loans will force clubs to run with bigger squads and spend more money on wages.

Like many other clubs at their level, Rovers have come to rely on the system over recent years to supplement their squad and replace injured players at short notice.

However, Ferguson is not opposed to the change and says it could actually aid youth development in the lower divisions.

“The loan market helps smaller clubs because they haven’t got the bodies, and financially they can’t cope with a big squad,” he told the Star.

Darren FergusonDarren Ferguson
Darren Ferguson
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“It also helps younger players at Premier League clubs get experience, because there’s nothing like the experience they’re going to get compared to under 21s football.

“If you lose all that it can have a baring I suppose.

“But as long as it’s the same for everyone, which it would be, you will all face the same problems as each other.

“What we’re doing at the minute is very good for the Premier League players, giving their younger players the experience,” he added.

“But it might not be such a bad thing giving your own players the experience.

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“I do think a lot of clubs would struggle with that though.”

Rovers have loaned ten players this season.

The Football League introduced the ‘emergency loan window’ to allow lower-league clubs to loan players outside of the summer and January transfer windows.

It is the only window of its kind and FIFA want to scrap it to bring England in line with everywhere else.

FIFA tried to ban it last year but granted the Football League a year’s grace.

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From August, under the new proposal, all loans will run from one window to the next – including youth ones, which currently have to be updated on a monthly basis.

What have other managers said?

Phil Parkinson (Bradford City)

“You’ll have to make sure you don’t leave yourself short when the window shuts. That will definitely mean more numbers. Those utility players within your squad are going to be important.

“The summer is going to be busy. Teams are going to have to run with bigger squads. You would imagine it might drive the wages up a little bit.”

Sam Allardyce (Sunderland)

“It will put extra pressure on the managers not to take young players in case they don’t work out, which cuts down our development of young players, which has proven to be the best way to develop a player to play in the Premier League.”

- Listen above to Ferguson chat to Star sports writer Paul Goodwin about the proposal to scrap the emergency loan window.