Rushian Hepburn-Murphy really caught the eye this weekend as he lashed in a hat trick against MK Dons for Tranmere.
The Aston Villa forward has taken his time to settle at Prenton Park; he earned a red card on his debut and didn’t manage to score for ten matches. With just three starts to his name, fans could be left wondering if he was cut out for League One.
After all, it is an unforgiving division in which talented Premier League youngsters can be engulfed in senior football and lose their way. After a stint in League Two with Cambridge, it was a step up for the 21-year-old and one he’s clearly taken time to adjust to.
Having been capped by England from under-16 to under-20 level, this is a real test of his credentials as he once again enters senior football after scoring two in 16 for Cambridge.
However, following his treble, some Villa fans decided to call for him to be recalled back to their squad to add some extra strength to their forward line. Having a fine tradition of producing talent with Jack Grealish a key player and both Andre Green and Callum O’Hare doing well on loan, some fans feel their youngsters would be best served around Villa Park, not League One.
Would they be wise to recall Hepburn-Murphy? Or is he best off left where he is? Our panel discuss.
Gary H says…..
“Leave him where he is. What would be the point of dragging him out of Tranmere after one good performance? After all, he’s struggled to settle there and even the worst of players can have a good game.
“As yet, Hepburn-Murphy has proven little to anyone.
“There’s also a wider issue here about big clubs wanting to recall loan players. Portsmouth suffered from it last season and there’s a cloud hanging over my own club, Lincoln City, with the possibility of a number of recalls in January.
“If a club commits to loaning out a player, they should honour the full length of the deal.”
James G says…..
“Unlike Gary, I’m not so sure that sending players out on loan like Hepburn-Murphy is a good idea.
“Think about it; they spend a fortune on their academy and when a decent player emerges he’s sent out to the lower leagues.
“What is that doing to academies such as Tranmere’s? It’s restricting their own talent from coming through and eventually will just lead to a big club monopoly of youngsters.
“No, they should have a limit on how many players they can loan out. As for the recall, I’m not sure they can until January
Harry F says……
“They’re clearly talking about a January recall JG and having signed him on a season-long loan I see Gary’s point. If Villa send him out and he does well, then it’s great for them, but Tranmere might lose a key part of their squad. Okay, he’s not playing consistently but he’s clearly part of their plans.
“Villa shouldn’t recall him. He’ll learn more getting kicked in League One than he will wrapped up in the cotton wool of Under 23 football.
“Our bigger clubs have a duty of care to the lower league and providing young talent is the best way to fulfil that, other than putting money in their bank accounts.”
Gary H is a lifelong Lincoln City fan and has worked as a sport’s journalist for the past three years. He’s the editor of the popular Lincoln City site ‘The Stacey West’ and has written for Football League World as well.
James G is a Luton Town fan who has helped build the Real EFL into the successful site it is today, approaching 1m views for the year. He still watches the Hatters, but feels comfortable in the lower leagues and loves the passion on the terraces without money ruining it all.
Harry F is a Sunderland fan and journalist student hoping to forge a career in the world of football writing.
