LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE LOAN ARRANGERS

HERE is an amazing stat.

Of the 26 players called up by manager Gareth Southgate (below) in his last England squad, 22 began their league careers outside the Premier League.

Phil Jones, Marcus Rashford, Ross Barkley and Raheem Sterling were the only ones to make their first appearances in the top flight.

Even Barkley (above) was later loaned out to Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds while Manchester City flyer Sterling began his youth career at QPR.

Most started at Premier League clubs but were loaned out to the Football League, while Michail Antonio, Chris Smalling and Jamie Vardy began in non-league.

The likes of Joe Hart, John Stones and Kyle Walker all had solid starts to their careers with Football League clubs before hitting the heights.

Tottenham’s Harry Kane,injured for the last squad which faced Germany and Lithuania, is perhaps is the best example of all.

Kane was loaned out to Leyton Orient, Millwall, Norwich, and Leicester. That’s five clubs, four loans, and four moves before reaching the top with title-chasing Tottenham and England. It perhaps underlines the value of loan moves and the need for even the best players to start and finish their development outside the pampered world of the Premier League academy system.

It is a great grounding – managers believe that youngsters become men while playing in the Football League. In Spain, Italy and Germany, the development system keeps the top talent at the top clubs, but it is very different in England. Southgate’s latest squad underlined the value of loan moves because, since reserve-team football disappeared, the best kids have been reduced to playing in Premier League Two, which is designed for youth development.

That does not offer really competitive football or the school of hard knocks which can really toughen up players for the years ahead.

Dele Alli came through at MK Dons and is now one of the most exciting players in Europe.

Adam Lallana worked his way up with Southampton before they became a Premier League club.

James Ward-Prowse made his Saints debut in the League Cup while they were still in the Championship.