Pards concedes Sinclair exit has risks

3:46pm Thursday 27th March 2008

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ALAN Pardew admits there is a chance his decision to let Scott Sinclair quit The Valley may come back to haunt him.

The winger failed to make a starting appearance during his brief stay in SE7 and didn't even earn a place on the bench for the last three games.

Sinclair returned to Chelsea before immediately joining Charlton's rivals Crystal Palace on loan until the end of the campaign earlier today.

Neil Warnock's side presently sit above the Addicks in the table in seventh spot and Pardew conceded there was a chance letting Sinclair go may cost Charlton, although he added the best interests of the player were paramount.

He explained: "I guess that is a risk for me personally and for us, but does that make it right for him?

"In all honesty, him coming out on loan is about Scott Sinclair playing.

"I don't feel it would be fair of me to lock him into here purely for my own selfish thoughts.

"We feel the team we've got here is strong and we are going to go with that."

Speculation about Sinclair's non-involvement with the first team inevitably placed a question mark on the player's future at Floyd Road.

However, the manager pointed out Sinclair had been given a chance to impress, although Charlton's current run of poor form had not helped his cause.

Pardew said: "He did have a fair part of the Preston game and he had a couple of cameos before then.

"When you come out on loan, those cameos are important to earn your right in the team.

"We haven't had a win since he has been here, which is no reflection on Scott of course, but maybe a reflection we are not playing too well to bring him into the game.

"Scott has gone back because I made a decision with Scotty and Chelsea that this was probably the right decision for Scott.

"The fact he has ended up with Crystal Palace is nothing to do with me."

He added: "I wouldn't promise any player, whoever I took, that they would definitely start. That is unfair on the players I've got.

"He came here to get first team experience, which he got in and around the team but he wanted the right and I couldn't give him the right to start.

"Chelsea were pretty cool about it and understood the situation, but at the end of the day, if he isn't involved on the subs bench it is unfair on the player regardless of Chelsea's or my opinion."