STEVE Cotterill has one policy when to comes to youngsters: If you're good enough, you're old enough!

Already this season, Clarets fans have seen 19-year-old loan signings Gary Cahill and Richard Duffy, along with Peter Whittingham, 20, all strut their stuff at Turf Moor.

Sixteeen-year-old striker Cayne Hanley was also promoted to the Burnley bench for two recent games as a reward for some excellent displays for the reserve and youth teams.

And now Ipswich Town starlet Dean Bowditch, 18, is set to be handed his debut against rock-bottom Rotherham United at Turf Moor tomorrow after becoming the latest recruit on loan.

It's all a far cry from the Stan Ternent managerial era, where experienced older heads invariably came higher in the pecking order.

And Cotterill admits he is at his happiest seeing youthful exuberance flourish in the heat of battle.

"I like a good, young player and I'd have a team full of them if I had the opportunity," he admitted. "If you were to play them alongside the likes of John McGreal and Frank Sinclair you wouldn't be doing too bad, but I've never been one to worry about age.

"I didn't with Michael Duff at Cheltenham and I didn't when I gave Kris Commons his debut at Stoke.

"There are different types of age - Gary Cahill's 6ft 3in tall and as strong as an ox, while Dean Bowditch isn't going to be like that. But the unfortunate thing in this country is we get rid of kids before they've fully developed."

Cotterill feels England could benefit from adopting the template of many European cousins, whose sensible strategy involves paying promising rookies a modest wage until boy becomes man and their potential can be better assessed.

The Burnley boss explained: "I just think youngsters are developing quicker these days. Their recovery periods are a lot quicker and they are a lot more mature and worldly-wise.

"I probably think that is society rolling into football, but Bayern Munich don't get rid of their kids until they're 22 or 23 and they are physically developed as men.

"In this country, young kids get money very quickly and if they happen to be a Wayne Rooney, who's already a man, or a Ryan Giggs, then fair enough. But Bayern keep them on sensible wages and carry on schooling them until they get their rewards when they get their proper professional playing contract.

"Here, Dennis Wise got released from Southampton and yet look at the career he's had, while Michael Duff was told by Swindon aged 14 that he was too small at 5ft 6ins.

"He then had a bad back for four years with a growth problem, so maybe we do tend to judge too quickly."

Cotterill's youthful outlook might be seen as the first stage towards lowering the average age of the Burnley squad in future years. However, he is at pains to point out that will not be the case in what has, more than ever, become a results orientated job.

"I don't know about lowering the age because you've still got to try and win the next game," he insisted. "It would be nice to have the players we've had this season as your own, not only to work with but also so you have saleable assets.

"But if you want a top young player they cost you money in the first place and you'll be paying £1m.

"I asked the chairman to speak to another chairman about a player recently and we got quoted £2m. I knew that would be the answer, so that's why you pick up your free transfers and 30-year-olds.

"You've got to try to be successful to get enough money to put all the other things right."