PHIL Brown insisted that Jon Otsemobor could have no complaints over the way he was treated at the Reebok.

The young Liverpool defender went off in a huff last weekend, complaining he had not been given the first team opportunities he expected when he joined Wanderers on loan on transfer deadline day.

His return to Anfield, after just one senior appearance in the 3-1 defeat by Manchester City in February, prompted former Liverpool striker John Aldridge - an old adversary of Sam Allardyce's from his management days at Tranmere - to claim the kid had been "let down". But Brown said Otsemobor had no right to think he could walk straight into Wanderers' first team.

"The only gripe Jon could have, would be his lack of first team opportunities," the assistant manager said.

"He came to us with six or seven games under his belt at Liverpool and probably had an idea that, looking at the relative successes of the two clubs, he should be able to play in our first team. But that theory could not be any further from the truth. You've still got to prove yourself, regardless of who you are playing for, and whether you are Jon Otsemobor or Steve Howey."

Otsemobor cut short his loan, which was originally scheduled to run for the rest of the season, despite Premier League rules barring him from playing for any other club. The 20-year-old said he preferred to just train at Anfield than continue to be frustrated at the Reebok.

But Brown added: "Jon played 60 minutes of one first team game and did okay but that was all really. He didn't set the world on fire as far as we were concerned and his limited experience remained limited."

"He's a good kid. We had no qualms about him; he conducted himself in a good manner, respected us for the advice we gave him and looks a good athlete and a good player. Hopefully he will have a good career ahead of him.

"But unfortunately he decided to go back and that was his choice."