Why does the window not shut by the start of the season?

[lake district canary 4,531]

Why do clubs have to put up with this ridiculous scenario where people are wheeling and dealing during the first few weeks of the season, instead of it being done and dusted before the season starts?   I presume it''s some European thing, but it is barmy when clubs are trying to prepare for a new season and they still don''t know who for sure who is going to be in their squad.   The sensible thing would be to have a period from the end of the previous season to say two weeks before the start of the new season to sort transfers out.  Then have a block on transfers throughout the season, forgetting the equally ridiculous January window.  

No doubt some would say its a good thing, although I can''t think why, but this mish mash of a transfer window situation is as unsettling and illogical in terms of clubs being able to prepare with settled squads for the new season.  Bonkers.

[Tetteys Jig 830]

Although i kind of like the way it is, it would make sense.

It messes with all them preseason predictions as well. people write us off before we have even made our main buy stating they think our strikers aren''t good enough yet when they don''t know who will be spearheading our attack.

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 1,557]

It is, as you say, a European thing.

Having the dates as they are means that every club across Europe has the same transfer window (give or take a day or two). If every season could start on the same day then it would be possible to close the window earlier but as that is impossible given the different sizes of leagues, winter breaks and varying climates.

It would be unfair on English teams who are in Europe to have the window close for them 2 or 3 weeks sooner than it closes for teams in Germany or Spain. Simple as that.

There could be a case for closing the January window across all of Europe, but many smaller clubs feel this would be harmful to them - there smaller squad size means they would find it harder to deal with injuries across the whole season without the chance to recruit players in the winter.

Also, many teams across Europe, including some in England, rely on being able to sell players in January to balance their books, removing this window would threaten some clubs very existence. That would be bonkers.

[Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man 3,782]

I''ve often thought this, and I''ve heard some managers say it before too.The best thing would be to close it for all of Europe around the end of July. Very few leagues begin in July (Russia and Ukraine are normally middle/end of July because they need a long winter break) and two months is plenty of time for clubs to complete transfer business if they don''t keep playing silly games with each other, holding out for the best possible deal for months on end until deadline day. I suppose they still would, but they''d have to come to an agreement sooner.Also, there is a slight issue with protecting the integrity of the competition. If a team wins their first couple of games against relegation rivals with their star striker scoring two goals in each game, and they then sell him, it can sort of mess the balance up a bit.The January transfer window is necessary though- a few early injuries could really destroy a whole season if there isn''t the opportunity to wheel and deal a bit in January.

[Indy_Bones 441]

Personally, I''d rather they completely scrapped the whole transfer window idea and we simply went back to teams signing players as and when they want/need, but this simply won''t happen.

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 1,557]

A never ending window would be even worse than the shorted window.

At least with the current system small teams know who will be playing for them for at least 3/4 months. The old system meant teams were liable to lose their best player to one of the bigger clubs at any given moment. It also made it easier for rich teams to flex their finances to win leagues and trophies.

[Tetteys Jig 830]

[quote user="Indy_Bones"]Personally, I''d rather they completely scrapped the whole transfer window idea and we simply went back to teams signing players as and when they want/need, but this simply won''t happen.[/quote]

Chelsea would simply buy everyone and loan them out as and when the others needed players.

We play man city on Saturday... "Here Norwich, have Eden Hazard and John Terry for the day"

[Indy_Bones 441]

[quote user="Tetteys Jig"]Chelsea would simply buy everyone and loan them out as and when the others needed players.

We play man city on Saturday... "Here Norwich, have Eden Hazard and John Terry for the day"[/quote]Sounds pretty good to me! [;)]