January has been a busy month for football teams for a number of years now. The transfer window offers clubs the opportunity to strengthen mid-season and cut adrift deadwood in an attempt to get the most out of the second half of the campaign.
There are those within football who are against it, and those who are for it. It has seemed that more recently calls to abandon the window have grown with the argument that clubs should be able to do business throughout the season.
This, however, would not fit into the model that football currently sits in, especially in England. With Sky Sports News’ 24/7 coverage, the transfer window has become an event within itself.
Sitting in front of the television and watching reporters across the country outside of training grounds and stadiums waiting for glimpses of a half-well known player on deadline day can now be compared to sitting down and actually watching a match. For some it’s a guilty pleasure, others openly admit to it.
The attraction is the time-limit that is set by the authorities for deals to be completed. If things could happen over time the furore around transfers would greatly diminish. It is this point, this scramble to complete deals, which is one of the main reasons why the window will not be abolished.
With a window, the press has the opportunity to build a story that they know they can run with for a set amount of time, because they can’t be proven wrong or right until the window opens. Transfer speculation is an important part of the mainstream media reporting on football. Who is going where and for how much?
Through speculation mid-season and then the two transfer windows the Premier League is able to gain almost as much worldwide media attention as when a game is on. The media can give more consistent promotion to the league when transfer rumours are involved.
Managers may complain that it is a hectic period that distracts from the actual football, which may be true, but without it the exposure football receives would likely be dented.
So begins a month of hearing managers talk about targets, sensationalised stories and a constant barrage of rumours and hearsay, some which is true but the majority which is completely false.
Yet for English football to continue getting the massive exposure in this country and abroad it arguably needs the transfer window as much as anything. Therein is the catch 22 situation and so for another month we as supporters will sit back and take it all in, with a pinch of salt of course.
For more from me, find me here: @dmsmith1987.
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