Football

The ever eloquent Johnathon Wilson on the transfer window

I think the whole transfer market is a scam that is kept spinning by mutual interests:

• agents love it because it makes money
  
• players love it because it makes money
  
• managers love it because it gives them an excuse
  
• fans love it because it gives them the chance to dream
  
• media loves it because it fills space
  
• even club owners/directors love it because some make money and others get to strut about feeling important
  The only losers are the actual clubs and perhaps the integrity of football itself - if that isn't too quaint a term. Most clubs would do just fine by slowly phasing out transfers, promoting youth and making one or two buys a year to plug gaps. But they're all too terrified to do it because they'd look so silly if they failed.