Should the window(S) be abolished

[Andy S]

In my younger days of supporting Fulham the window was open all season until March. If you sold a player you could replace him if you wanted you could strengthen the team. There was no fear of losing a player just as the season started and not being able to replace them. Should we go back to this?

[Lighthouse]

I can understand why it was changed. But I don't think the window does any favours to club or player or fan. I would prefer a return to the good old days. But then it isn't going to happen.

[Apprentice to the Maestro]

I seem to remember that for fans of any but the top clubs there was a constant state of anxiety as your best players could be stolen at any time. It was like being in the transfer window for most of the season.

So, not for me.

[The Rational Fan]

I think the idea of a window is good, but we should have at least two to three mid season windows and theses windows should be shorter, maybe scheduled around double header international football  breaks. A lot of last years team deserve a chance, but the long gaps between window means it's too bigger risk.

[MJG]

No, but the timescale for it and deals should be reduced. I would have a week in January and one month in the summer.
Squads would be a lot more stable and each manager would have longer to work with them.

[The Rational Fan]

Why not have two mid season window one from 10th-17th October, then another 20th-27th January. I think that system would have some of the advantages of transfer windows with less disadvantages. Particularly an early window would avoid insane stockpiling of backup players and promoted teams could go a few rounds with their promoted squads and see their weaknesses. p

The timeline would be i) summer transfers, ii) no transfers for two months, iii) one week Autumn window, iv) no transfers for three months, v) one week winter window and vi) then the last four months of the season.

[fulhamben]

Me personally, I'd drop the jan window. Everyone knows their squad then, and it would give youth more of a chance to get through if you had a lot of injuries/suspensions.

[Southcoastffc]

Me personally, I'd drop the jan window. Everyone knows their squad then, and it would give youth more of a chance to get through if you had a lot of injuries/suspensions.

:plus one: And the remaining (Summer) window should open immediately the previous season ends and close 14 days before the new season begins.

[jayffc]

Me personally, I'd drop the jan window. Everyone knows their squad then, and it would give youth more of a chance to get through if you had a lot of injuries/suspensions.

:plus one: And the remaining (Summer) window should open immediately the previous season ends and close 14 days before the new season begins.

Mentioned this on another post.

Couldn't agree more.
Open the summer transfer window sooner (or not! Hell maybe it'd force people to mess about less!) And end it 2 weeks before the season starts so all teams have time to prepare for the first game with the squad in place. What's stopping that from being the case? How do we start that campaign? ha!

[toshes mate]

Rather than tamper with the transfer windows I'd like to see reforms of (a) the maximum number of players any one club may hold registration of; and b) the maximum number of players any one club may release for loan.  With these mechanisms in place I would hope that any club could offer homes to any players wishing to play the game regularly regardless of age and hold meaningful contracts with their employer at all times. 

As for windows they seem, to my mind, to be devices encouraged by the media rather than any attempt to make the sport better.  Personally I'd like to see them scrapped.

[MJG]

As for windows they seem, to my mind, to be devices encouraged by the media rather than any attempt to make the sport better.  Personally I'd like to see them scrapped.

By removing them you would in fact feed the media more, because daily they could push transfer stories and big up the latest guy to score two goals in two games to a £50M player.
At the least the way they are set now allows a bit of a reduction in the will he wont he type headlines.

Also people talk about a balanced side and working with what you have, with no windows your never sure of anything.

[toshes mate]

By removing the windows you would in fact feed the media more, because daily they could push transfer stories and big up the latest guy to score two goals in two games to a £50M player.
At the least the way they are set now allows a bit of a reduction in the will he wont he type headlines.

Also people talk about a balanced side and working with what you have, with no windows your never sure of anything.

I do take the point but I supported FFC during the older no window days and the axiom was always that you would be unlikely to lose a player unless it suited the club to sell.  As for the media playing things up they do that out of the window just as much as they ever did.  Destabilising is always a possible effect but not sure you'll ever stop that in an age of social media anyway.  I am guessing players that are unhappy always make the biggest noise wherever they are.

[fulhamben]

Rather than tamper with the transfer windows I'd like to see reforms of (a) the maximum number of players any one club may hold registration of; and b) the maximum number of players any one club may release for loan.  With these mechanisms in place I would hope that any club could offer homes to any players wishing to play the game regularly regardless of age and hold meaningful contracts with their employer at all times. 

As for windows they seem, to my mind, to be devices encouraged by the media rather than any attempt to make the sport better.  Personally I'd like to see them scrapped.

I believe that they are going to do something with loans, maximise the amount they can loan out

[Logicalman]

I understand the apparent need for the windows, but, like many here, they are poorly placed or not enough of them.
Taking into account the need to have a stable team, especially in the second half of the season for both cup and promo/drop races, then perhaps having a window from June 1 through Jan 31 might provide the answer.

Additionally, there should be a restriction on any player being loaned out for the first season following purchase.

[Apprentice to the Maestro]

Rather than tamper with the transfer windows I'd like to see reforms of (a) the maximum number of players any one club may hold registration of; and b) the maximum number of players any one club may release for loan.  With these mechanisms in place I would hope that any club could offer homes to any players wishing to play the game regularly regardless of age and hold meaningful contracts with their employer at all times. 

As for windows they seem, to my mind, to be devices encouraged by the media rather than any attempt to make the sport better.  Personally I'd like to see them scrapped.

So how would not having a transfer window 'make the sport better'?

[Statto]

We would be a major beneficiary if the window was abolished or narrowed. We generally sign players later than peer clubs and our late signings are generally overpriced and unsuccessful. That's FACT based on RESEARCH and EMPIRICAL DATA for the avoidance of doubt.

The nature of the window seems to expose TK's (or in fairness, it could be AM's) nativity and other weaknesses.

[Apprentice to the Maestro]

By removing the windows you would in fact feed the media more, because daily they could push transfer stories and big up the latest guy to score two goals in two games to a £50M player.
At the least the way they are set now allows a bit of a reduction in the will he wont he type headlines.

Also people talk about a balanced side and working with what you have, with no windows your never sure of anything.

I do take the point but I supported FFC during the older no window days and the axiom was always that you would be unlikely to lose a player unless it suited the club to sell.  As for the media playing things up they do that out of the window just as much as they ever did.  Destabilising is always a possible effect but not sure you'll ever stop that in an age of social media anyway.  I am guessing players that are unhappy always make the biggest noise wherever they are.

I seem to recall cases of owners/Chairmen selling players mid-season without the manager even knowing so undermining the manager and demoralising the team. Maybe if owners/Chairmen/DoFs had to think long term (a whole season) they might make more considered decisions.