Martinez remains opposed to late summer transfer deadline

, 11 August, 59comments  |  Jump to most recent
Roberto Martinez says that the current transfer window system whereby clubs can buy and sell players while the season is underway is "unfair".

The Everton boss was speaking during an in-studio appearance as a guest analyst on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football presentation of Manchester City's 3-0 win over West Bromwich Albion when he maintained that the deadline for incoming transfers should be moved to 31st July, a move favoured by other Premier League managers.

"The window, when it is open and we have to prepare for official games, is very, very unfair. I don't think it is right," Martinez said.

"I think we should have a period where we assemble our squad, and then once the first league game starts everyone is focused."

Cynics will cite the threat to Everton of losing John Stones to Chelsea over the next three weeks as the reasons behind the Catalan's comments but Martinez has been consistent in his views on this issue.

He branded the system as a "circus" in 2013, saying: "I do feel a bit worried about it. It is not getting easier and it is not getting better.

"We need to protect the league, and we need to protect the players. We need to respect the fans and we need to stop all this transfer window business when the games are going on."

 

Reader Comments (59)

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer


Paul Whittaker
1 Posted 11/08/2015 at 07:23:46
The club are incapable of buying the majority of players before the end of August so a very strange comment to make. You could understand the comment if we had signed 5 quality players in pre season and the cheque book was closed?!
Mark Tanton
2 Posted 11/08/2015 at 07:31:11
No club utilises the September midnight bargain basement rush like Everton though.
Jim Bennings
3 Posted 11/08/2015 at 07:46:47
Agreed Mark

This actually sounds so foolish from Martinez when his best signings to date for Everton have come in the dying hours of the window.

Eric Myles
4 Posted 11/08/2015 at 08:00:22
Then why doesn't he set an example and conclude all his deals before kick off?

Or is this his way of telling us he's done all his deals already??

Ian Jones
5 Posted 11/08/2015 at 08:03:52
Surely, the point is that whilst the system is in place, Martinez has to or will use the transfer window once the season has started. Doesn't mean he agrees with it.

How many of us would complain if Roberto got even more stubborn and didn't use it on the basis of his feelings towards the window.

Darren Bailey
7 Posted 11/08/2015 at 08:11:10
Pot, kettle, black RM. Come on!

Jesus if that was the case we’d never buy anyone as we’re incapable of doing business early ourselves. Just because he’s not happy with the hype over Stones he’s kicking up a fuss but we’re "still in the market for three players" ourselves. Stupid, stupid comment.

What was he doing on MMF anyway? I thought his job was Everton manager, not TV pundit.
Eric Myles
8 Posted 11/08/2015 at 08:12:09
Ian, if he stuck to his principles we'd have all our transfer dealings sorted early which is surely the best option?
Jim Jennings
9 Posted 11/08/2015 at 08:13:27
Eric #3

Perhaps because it would be extremely foolish not to utilise it just to make a point that he doesn't agree with it.

Or perhaps because agents drag deals out til late in the window to secure the best deal for their client and their own bank balance.

Or maybe because the Everton board strategy has been, since long before Martinez arrived, to leave transfers as late as possible because they believe that approach will get the best value for money for the club.

No, forget I said all that. You're right. It's a coded message to say we have done all our deals already.

Ray Robinson
10 Posted 11/08/2015 at 08:14:34
For once, I think Roberto is right. The season should kick off with all squads already in place. It doesn't alter the fact that we would do most of our business in the last week leading up to the (earlier) deadline!! I don't see any inconsistency in what he is saying - but I do see the irony!
Eric Myles
11 Posted 11/08/2015 at 08:21:39
Jim #8, since you put it that way I think you're right, it's a coded message.
Ian Jones
12 Posted 11/08/2015 at 08:23:50
Morning Eric. Can't argue with your comment but.....Jim at 8 explains my other thoughts better than I would have done.

Off topic but more worrying is Martinez being on Sky Sports last night. Not the fact that he was on in it. Good to see Everton represented in the media.

But some of his comments/analysis was hard to fathom. We probably need another thread on ToffeeWeb to see if many understood his thought process. One classic was Carragher trying to work out some Everton defending against Villa. After a 'nice' bit of passing amongst defenders, the ball was passed to Lukaku who managed to kick it back first time to a Villa player. Ball in back of net seconds later with Everton defence probably bit out of place.

Martinez reaction was we won 3-1 . Fair enough. :)

Sean Dullard
13 Posted 11/08/2015 at 08:30:00
One question : Did Martinez mention if we are close to signing anything or anyone on MNF ?

Chris Wilson
14 Posted 11/08/2015 at 08:37:09
Let's not throw too much shade onto Roberto for these comments. He's not the only manager or pundit that has ever said this - ironically, Jose Mourinho himself said the same thing a couple of weeks ago.

I have to believe that if they did make the end of the transfer window before the first match of the season, then the Sky money would arrive earlier, and there would still be transfer deadline day drama...just a little earlier. Get the season started proper!

Tony Abrahams
15 Posted 11/08/2015 at 08:37:17
He his only repeating what Mouriniho said last week. I hope it's a message to the board, because if it isn't, it's another one of "Roberto's Ridiculous Rants".
Daniel Lawrence
16 Posted 11/08/2015 at 08:43:43
Considering we seem incapable of signing anyone until the Sky money arrives mid August; this would mean we'd never get any business done!
Not that we seem to bother with much anyway.
Ian McDowell
17 Posted 11/08/2015 at 08:48:56
Whilst he is fully correct and the window should close prior to the first game of the season. I suggested in an earlier thread 2300 the Friday before the first game, It unfortunately doesn't. That shouldn't mean we leave our business to mid-late August.
Christopher Wallace
18 Posted 11/08/2015 at 08:51:23
Paul 5, , I agree with you regarding BK. I’ve no doubt Roberto has identified targets (whether they are the right ones will be held up to scrutiny later) but it is up to the club to get these targets in.

I also agree with Roberto - it has become a circus and I would prefer the deadline before the season kicks off. This may be a veiled indictment of our own chairman, who waits until late August to conclude most deals.

Helen Mallon
21 Posted 11/08/2015 at 09:26:27
Some people just wont give him a break. the reasons he gives are true, the window is a sham. Roberto would have done all his business by now if it closed at the beginning of the season we would have our layers. The reason we leave it late is to save on wages.
Denis Richardson
22 Posted 11/08/2015 at 09:27:06
Fair comment but timing but timing suspect. Same for all clubs and we've known about it for long enough so as to plan.

No coincidence that we, who have done very little, are the ones now moaning...

Clive Rogers
23 Posted 11/08/2015 at 09:38:55
And yet he is quoted as saying in June that he would bring in two players early, then two late in the window. Bungling Bill has bragged about saving wages by waiting until the end of the window. The club can't have it both ways.
Dan Nulty
24 Posted 11/08/2015 at 09:41:42
I'm deeply concerned now. I'm concerned that Martinez received a lot of attention because of our good season two years ago and it went completely to his head.

He gets paid blooming well by Everton and he should be working all hours to fix the flipping mess he has made with his passing it for the sake of it football and poor buys. Not trying to improve brand Martinez by being on sky sports. Saturday showed the whole league and our fans that this club has not moved forward since the end of last season. It begs the question what has been going on since May. He should be moving heaven and earth this week to rectify the situation and the board need to pull their finger out and force through an exciting deal that would give us all a lift.

Just don't understand why they seem to be happy with mediocrity. I fear we will end up in a relegation dogfight unless we get some quality up front to help big Rom out.

Dave Hall
26 Posted 11/08/2015 at 10:16:10
Why not reverse the logic and just do away with transfer ban periods until halfway or two-thirds of the way through the season as happens with all sports in the US? Makes just as much sense.
Clive Rogers
27 Posted 11/08/2015 at 10:17:20
I would have thought managers would welcome a few PL games before the window closes to give them a clear idea how their squad performs. Pre season games tell you little. In our case it has already, after one game highlighted our deficiencies, which are exactly the same as last season. Is it the case that Martinez is so intransigent that he doesn't want to know?
Brian Porter
28 Posted 11/08/2015 at 10:51:28
This is probably the first time I’ve actually agreed with anything our ’phenomenal’ manager has said, but even then he’s only reiterating what Mourinho said last week. Sure, as some have said, it’s the same for everyone, but that doesn’t make it right or proper. And yes, as a club we have s habit of waiting till the last minute to do business but if we knew the window closed earlier we’d just have to do that business earlier as would everyone else.

Clubs should start the season with their squads firmly in place, and not have to worry about their best players being poached just as the season is getting underway. Surely, if the window opened at midnight on the last day of the season and closed a week before the new season begins, that is plenty of time, (allowing all of June/July and part of August), in which to transact their transfers in and out.
Trevor Lynes
29 Posted 11/08/2015 at 11:21:47
I honestly believe that if Roberto had his way our signings would already be in place. Every other club uses the full transfer window otherwise it may as well only be open for one week.

All transfer dealings are down to the Boardroom and not the manager despite all the fans moans. The Board hold the purse strings.

We are the only club who are not active.WBA just bought their fifth player so far. Some clubs have 10 or 11 signed. We have about 10 injured. Who is wrong ?

Peter Gorman
31 Posted 11/08/2015 at 12:02:33
You could be forgiven for thinking Martinez is opposed to football transfers in general.
Ernie Baywood
32 Posted 11/08/2015 at 12:15:33
Can't believe the criticism when he's so clearly correct. If you close the window when the season starts you still get the last minute dash, it just happens at a different time. And you don't get half the players wondering where they're going to be while still trotting out in their current club's shirt.

We'll go right to the wire, simply because it's there. The likes of Tottenham will be hoping we flinch first, as will Chelsea. The strongest position we can have is if we are genuinely prepared to let Chelsea walk away. I don't think Spurs want us to walk away so I see us as fairly strong there too.

Every year there are bargains as teams who need or want to sell, panic that they'll be lumbered with a player until January (that's where wages really come into the equation). Likewise buyers will throw silly money if they have it just to secure the player they want.

Tony Abrahams
33 Posted 11/08/2015 at 12:26:33
Earnie, if he's correct mate, then he's obviously working for the wrong chairman. surely?
Jason Pullen
34 Posted 11/08/2015 at 12:40:51
He was asked the question and he has answered it in a way lots of people agree with. As some have said, if the window ended a month earlier I imagine we would buy/loan a month earlier. I am not saying it is ok that we buy when we do, simply that we would buy earlier if we had to and the team would be better for it for the start of the season.

I get as frustrated as the next person in regards to most of what our manager says. This isn’t one of those occasions though. In this case I agree.
Alan Humphreys
35 Posted 11/08/2015 at 12:46:44
I think we all get the irony, however I agree with the sentiment. Once the first game kicks off that's it - window closed. His point about the fans, well how many kids buy the new kits with players names on them only to have them sold weeks later?
Harold Matthews
36 Posted 11/08/2015 at 12:59:18
Fair enough,. He's not on his own but many coaches probably welcome it. .Judging by his demeanour during the West Brom post-match interview, Pulis sees it as an opportunity to" bring a few in and ship a few out".

We then have the fact that the first 2 or 3 games are notorious for long term injuries. Fingers crossed we've had our full quota of bad luck with Gibbo, Oviedo, McGeady, Hibbo, Pienaar, Kone, Delboy and Bainsey but I wouldn't bet on it. If key players go down before the end of the window we may need more than the promised "3".

Trevor Peers
37 Posted 11/08/2015 at 13:02:09
Seems silly to criticise something that has served us very well over the years .But he must have his reasons, take the whole with a pinch of salt myself. Does he really mean it ?
Drew Shortis
38 Posted 11/08/2015 at 13:12:59
I can't believe there are people giving Martinez grief over these comments. There are a lot of things he can be criticised for but on this issue he is 100% correct. It is not logical and there is no valid reason for it being like this.

Remember the destabilising effect of the Lescott and Fellaini sagas. The window should shut before the first ball is kicked so that players can concentrate on their football. Who benefits from it being several games into the season?

Not the players who are distracted, not the fans who just want to enjoy watching the games without the prospect of their favourite players doing a bunk just as things are getting going. Someone somewhere must be getting something out of this other than the greedy agents. Backhanders at FIFA or the FA?

Yes we do a lot of business very late on, but that makes financial sense as it is largely a buyers market and teams who have not yet received bids for surplus players have to decide whether to carry on paying their wages until January or cut their losses and accept a lower bid than they may have taken at the start of the summer.

Everton will get in 2-3 players on the last day, but why does the last day have to be at the end of August and not the start. Roberto is right to criticise this and we should back him up when he calls something right, not pounce on every word he says and twist it to fit our own agendas!

I'm unhappy with aspects of Martinez's management and Bill Kenwright's running of the club, but the ammount of negativity on ToffeeWeb is starting to really put me of visiting this fantastic forum. I'm all for constructive and passionate criticism but it is starting to feel like a witch hunt in these comment sections!

Ernie Baywood
39 Posted 11/08/2015 at 13:14:13
I think some people are missing the point. If the transfer window closed before the first game, we would still have a transfer deadline day. And we would still have a mad dash to the line.

Last minute signings are our thing... there will always be a last minute regardless of when it happens.

Trevor Peers
40 Posted 11/08/2015 at 13:24:04
This isn't a negativity issue, it's just a matter of opinion for each individual, the present system serves us well. So why change it ?
Ernie Baywood
41 Posted 11/08/2015 at 13:32:41
But, Trevor, I don't think it does serve us well. Deadline day moves serve us well but there would still be a deadline.

Look at what happened with Lescott... did his performance against Arsenal serve us well? Pull the deadline forward and the move still happens - we just get the business done before the opening day.

The only teams who would prefer this system to remain are Champions League clubs who get to choose whether to register players with injuries or simply but new ones in. Let's face it, it's set up solely for that comp. It's even been moved to accommodate CL squad submissions this year.

Spencer Ramsay
42 Posted 11/08/2015 at 13:36:25
Drew Shortis @ 32 - spot on there with your evaluation, I couldn't agree with you more. RM has his failings and Im just as disatisfied with those failings as anyone, but some people on TW seem to treat any little thing as part of a witch-hunt against him which quite frankly makes them look ridiculous.

RM is quite right to argue against the current system. And for those who say we'd never get any business done if it was changed are clearly missing the point. We're not the only club to conclude our business late. We would (rightly or wrongly) leave our business until the 31st July instead of the 31st August!

Trevor Peers
43 Posted 11/08/2015 at 13:39:11
BK would be lost without that extra month whatever the outcome of previous years, which usually favours our situation, it favours the less well off teams like us.
James Flynn
44 Posted 11/08/2015 at 13:40:51
Agree with Roberto.

No reason the window couldn't be shut 48 hours before the first scheduled game. No reason at all.

Surprised most EPL club owners aren't pushing for it.

Jackie Barry
45 Posted 11/08/2015 at 13:42:48
I think people realize there would be a deadline day if it closed earlier. The point is that a players focus would be on where he is right now and the managers plans would be in place without them worrying about whether a player is about to leave. Personally I like the way the nfl works in this aspect, players show more honor to contracts and don't go round sulking to the media so much. Yes it probably wouldn't work but it is a far nicer approach.
James Marshall
46 Posted 11/08/2015 at 14:09:01
You can’t close the transfer window when the Premier League season starts because other leagues don’t start at the same time. There are therefore numerous issues of player movement and free trade.

There’s more to football than the British game. It’s a world game remember.

Craig Mills
47 Posted 11/08/2015 at 14:10:11
For once, I fully agree with RM, when the season starts you should not have the worry players may not be fully committed and have their heads turned in the early part of the season. The transfer window should close the week before the big kick off
Phil Walling
48 Posted 11/08/2015 at 14:12:44
Until the mid-sixties, the season didn't get under way before the last week in August. Then it got brought forward to avoid fixture congestion. This season has been advanced to allow preparation time for the Euros and has further exacerbated the problem for English clubs.

But the problem of closing the window before the Sky money is to hand would mean that half the deals would never be made as the money (even more of it !) would find its way into the players pockets before the January window opened.

Chicken and egg, really !

Ernie Baywood
49 Posted 11/08/2015 at 14:13:12
James Flynn, plenty of clubs have argued against it. Comes up every time a CL club decides they want someone. At the end of the day, those clubs are focused on the CL, so they're happy enough doing business as late as possible... just before their squad registration is to be submitted.

Jay Wood
50 Posted 11/08/2015 at 14:13:53
I'm sorry, but Roberto and others advocating that the transfer window should be closed before the season kicks off are wrong. And it has nothing to do with any witch hunt or persecution against any and every utterance our manager makes.

If transactions were limited to the English leagues alone, he and others would have a point. But they are clearly not. There is global trade between leagues on every continent.

In Europe, the hub of most transactions, most leagues kick off in the month of August, but not all start on the same weekend. It is very staggered which leagues commence when.

To suggest the PL transfer window should slam shut before a ball is kicked in anger is unworkable, given the staggered start across different leagues as mentioned above.

Therefore, there has to be a compromise - a universal date for all European based leagues when the window slams shut on summer dealings. I believe only Russia, for some reason, has an extended transfer window beyond the now long established end-of-August deadline.

It's not ideal, but, it is a compromise fair to all leagues. If each league had a different limit on the summer transfer window, there would be even greater confusion than now exists.

Now if all the major European leagues agreed to kick off their seasons on the same weekend, then there would be a case to close the window before the ball started rolling.

Failing that, one alternative would be to return to the old system when there was NO shutting of the transfer window and it was open season for the whole duration of the league programme. But then of course, the uncertainty of whether a player stays or goes continues throughout the whole season.

Furthermore, if you want to extend the logic of Roberto and others that there should be no disruptive transfers possible once the season has commenced, then surely the January transfer window should be shuttered as well.

I understand the arguments against allowing transfers once the season kicks off. But as I've outlined, IMO it just isn't workable.

Ernie Baywood
51 Posted 11/08/2015 at 14:18:13
James Marshall, correct me if I'm wrong but not all associations are aligned anyway? And the window only deals with transfers into the association.

FIFA (or UEFA, or someone) dictate how long the window can be individual FAs decide on the timing.

Ernie Baywood
52 Posted 11/08/2015 at 14:27:04
Jay, Portugal extends its window too, and obviously the Scandinavian countries do things differently.

This year, England will be one day later than the rest due to the public holiday. Though it shuts early at 6pm to accommodate CL squad registration due layer that night.

Bill Gall
53 Posted 11/08/2015 at 14:29:03
It does make sense and it would ensure that Everton can have a settled squad for the start of the season but you still have a transfer period in January that will just delay the hype.

We just need our people in charge to firmly say, and even if it takes putting a statement in the media, that player (a) or (b) is not for sale and no offers of any kind will be excepted, and any reference to the contrary will be false.

Drew Shortis
54 Posted 11/08/2015 at 14:33:01
James Marshall 40 I agree with you that this is the reason for the late close, but I don't see why we should have to accommodate the Europeans. Can't the FA set a deadline for England that English teams have to adhere to? With the early Europa and Champions League qualifiers couldn't all European windows be brought back a few weeks? What about the Scandinavian leagues who's seasons run at completely different times of the year? If its about freedom of movement then why is there a window at all?

If something doesn't work then people should push the powers that be to find a solution.

Ernie Baywood 43 Again, I agree that this is a major reason for the current situation. However I'm fed up of the super rich Champions League teams having everything set up to suit them and screw the rest. This only widens the gulf between the haves and have nots. That said, should some oil tycoon wish to invest heavily in EFC I would be willing to
modify my principles to accommodate them ;)

I'm just dreading the deadline day scenario of John Stones leaving and us scrabbling around for Johnny Evans +1 and getting screwed over because the selling teams know we have cash and are desperate for a replacement. I guess that would be the same situation if the window shut in July or August, but at least the distraction wouldn't be hanging over the team!

Pete Edwards
55 Posted 11/08/2015 at 14:35:32
Unbelievable, so just because maureen said it Martinez isn't allowed to!! Maybe it's because he has the same opinion on the matter like plenty of others will, are the others not allowed to say it either!

If the window closed before the first game then the sky money as said a few times above would be paid earlier. Do you think that would wait until mid August after a window closed to pay out and spoil their deadline day circus!! sky aren't stupid, it's all related!

Jay Wood
56 Posted 11/08/2015 at 14:47:00
Ernie #46

As I alluded to in my piece, there are some leagues with later transfer windows, but as this link shows - listing the transfer windows of all European federations from Azerbaijan to the Ukraine - they are the exception to the rule.

Link

Most of those outside the 31 August / 1 September closing date are those who take a winter break and who are already well into their season.

Kelvin Leung
57 Posted 11/08/2015 at 15:39:40
Not agreeing with the current system and playing by its rules to get the most out of it aren't necessary mutually exclusive.

But in saying that, it is still incredibly, incredibly frustrating to see clubs like West Brom being able to/willing to splurge ~£18 million on a record signing, while our income appears to go into a financial blackhole.

Steve Ferns
58 Posted 11/08/2015 at 16:02:45
Lots of you are confusing two things.

1. Signing players at the end of the window.

2. The date of the end of the window.

Roberto is talking about 2. You're all talking about 1.

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/pictures-Everton-fc-top-league-8561655

It's a fact we do 1, and there's a variety of reasons for it. None can be pointed at Roberto, that's just how we do deals, and by and large we've been winning the game of poker that is the late transfer deadline day deal.

Tony Abrahams
60 Posted 11/08/2015 at 16:31:08
Ste, you might call it winning, but I take a different view, seeing as our team is never really prepared until the window shuts.
Shaun Murphy
61 Posted 11/08/2015 at 16:43:58
Ste we haven’t won a tap for 20 years. But let’s keep the same blueprint for the next 20, aye? FFS, we'll never win anything ever again unless fluke a League Cup, but what's that?
Shaun Murphy
65 Posted 11/08/2015 at 18:23:14
Kev, they paid 12m for Rondon but I know what you're saying. We’ve just given up. "Who are we selling?" is the mantra at Everton not who are we buying?
Sam Barrett
66 Posted 11/08/2015 at 18:52:52
If he's opposed to late summer transfers why the hell hasn't he signed anyone??
Brian Wilkinson
68 Posted 11/08/2015 at 21:16:54
The window should shut before the season starts, how he can say that then looking to sign 3 players still is laughable.

We should have had the players in already, jose must be laughing his nuts off if we then sign three players, hes making himself a laughing stock.

Jamie Crowley
69 Posted 11/08/2015 at 21:22:01
The window should slam shut before the season starts. Period.

Roberto is spot on.

Foreign teams will comply with the English deadline if they want to do business.

And Roberto isn't saying anything he hasn't said before. He's been very consistent on this matter. Not sure what all the fuss is about.

"The window should close before the season starts."

"Uhhhh... OK... then why the hell do you wait so long, uh-huh, uh-huh??" (spits chewing tobacco on the floor and wipes back of hand across mouth to clean up residue).

Roberto isn't waiting until the bitter end by choice. Everyone waits to play the poker game to extract as much money as possible from those with smaller stones who panic at the deadline. If the deadline is moved up, everyone just plays the stupid game of poker a bit earlier in the year.


Add Your Comments

In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site.

» Log in now

Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site.


About these ads

© ToffeeWeb