One of the rituals of transfer window day when Harry Redknapp was at Premier League clubs was him rolling down the car window as he left the training ground and giving it large on what he thought was happening.
Now supremo at Birmingham City, Redknapp was ready with his views for Radio 5 on the decision by the Premier League to close the transfer window before the start of next season. Redknapp was all in favour, reckoning that it would stop players feigning injury while they waited for a move. Who could he mean?
One of the rituals of transfer window day when Harry Redknapp was at Premier League clubs was him rolling down the car window as he left the training ground and giving it large on what he thought was happening.
Now supremo at Birmingham City, Redknapp was ready with his views for Radio 5 on the decision by the Premier League to close the transfer window before the start of next season. Redknapp was all in favour, reckoning that it would stop players feigning injury while they waited for a move. Who could he mean?
The decision was carried by 14 votes to 5 (Burnley abstained) with both Manchester clubs voting against. The other opposing clubs were Crystal Palace, Swansea City and Watford.
The Manchester clubs had opposed the change on the grounds that it would only result in stopping Premier League clubs from signing players and not from selling them. However, the lead taken by the Premier League has started a discussion and leagues across the Channel may well fall in line (the closing date in the Premiership next year will be Thursday August 9th).
In particular, Juventus has welcomed the move and they are a powerful voice. Their president, Andrea Agnelli, has just been confirmed as president of the European Club Association. The Bundesliga discussed the issue at a meeting yesterday. Aleksander Ceferin, Uefa’s president, has suggested that it could shut across Europe on July 31st.
Managers had become increasingly fed with the start of the season being disrupted by approaches from other clubs, leading some targeted players to start sulking if a move did not take place. Managers could leave targeted players out of the side or see them playing for another club a few days later. It’s a sensible move in my view.
Arsene Wenger has called for the mid-season January transfer window to be scrapped entirely, but this would be unlikely to be supported by clubs who think they might find tnemselves in a relegation fight. The January window does usually offer less value for money.