We suffered a lot in the Pardew/Parkinson years from rubbish loan signings and it looks as if history is repeating itself. Razak and Jonsson were farcical episodes, Seaborne started off solidly but is going backwards and Frimpong is a massive disappointment. Hulse has played a useful role while Fuller and Kermorgant were out but is no better than a squad player. (Whom have I forgotten?) Obviously players sent out on loan are likely to have defects otherwise their own clubs would be hanging on to them, but our rivals seem to get it right more often than we do. Their borrowed players have cost us a lot of points this season. Funny really, because our ability to spot and sign talent for modest outlay (Kermorgant, Wiggins, Taylor, Morrison, Hamer, Pritchard, BWP, Wilson, Cort, etc) is what got us promoted and may keep us up, because we are defective in other aspects, but we don't have the same success with borrowed players. A different talking point but not worth a separate thread. Were we wrong to let to Harry Arter leave on a free? He is a regular choice for an average to good Div One club. Maybe he wouldn't shine in the Championship, but I think he could do a job where where we are most deficient, defensive midfield, has a lot of experience and at 22 should be still improving. A better passer and tackler than Pritchard and chips in with a few goals, too. The other one who would fill that need nicely is Josh Wright, who is playing regularly for a team above us in the table, but I know that in his case his head was turned, rather than our lack of faith in his ability, so I accept we couldn't win on that one.
Agree generally about the loans thing. I don't much care for the principle and we seem to be quite bad at it as an art. I guess the only good thing is that it has saved us signing duds like seaborne on permanent deals like Clarke on the evidence of a couple of good games or a reputation that proved to be unfounded. But we seem to expect thes edits to just fit seamlessly into a strange team. Not completely realistic. I think Arter and Wright left for proper reasons but the point is well made.
I'd have Parrett and Ecclestone back like a shot, Mike - Parrett is no nearer the Spurs first team than he was when he was with us and Ecclestone's move to Blackpool never worked out.