In the latest Boardroom Notes in the Shrimps’ Matchday Programme - Director, Mick Horton, gives his views on the January transfer window.
We are coming to the end of another January transfer window and the debate continues about whether transfer windows are necessary, should they apply to all divisions or just to the top league in every country.
We often see transfer fees being inflated during January as clubs start to gamble either to push for promotion or try and avoid relegation, and is this really good for the game as the amount of pressure put on clubs and players only increases, often with disastrous results?
If the top leagues wish to continue with them fine, but what it has done is stop lower league clubs who have developed players, from selling them on during the season, often bringing in much-needed funds at a time when they are much needed.
Anyway, I can’t see anything changing in the near future as firstly FIFA, UEFA and the National Associations need to be all singing from the same hymn sheet instead of having different dates when windows close, which the Premier League may change again for next season, as the current dates give clubs in Europe an advantage.
Derek has done a lot of business early in the window, as he clearly had a plan when he was appointed of which positions needed strengthening, bringing in four players on January 2nd, who already have settled into the first team and another last week.
His search for new players continues, and I’m sure there will be more additions before the window closes on the 31st, certainly if the number of games he and his scouting team are watching has anything to do with it!
The number of disputes between the EFL and various clubs appears to be increasing and not just in the lower divisions. Both Derby and Sheffield Wednesday have been charged with breaches of Profitability and Sustainability rules in the Championship and Macclesfield have been charged for failing to fulfil another fixture against Plymouth in December, whilst appealing their deduction of points earlier in the season.
My thoughts are that the Independent Disciplinary Commissions, who hear the charges, need to be completed within a much shorter time frame so as to retain the integrity of the competition. This has an effect on all clubs in the division, not just the clubs who are being charged and needs to be brought to a conclusion much sooner.
I touched earlier on FIFA, UEFA, National Associations and Leagues all working together and this has been clearly highlighted in the use of VAR this season, where they all seem to have different interpretations of how it is used.
This must be really confusing for clubs and players but more so for supporters who can see a goal allowed in the Premier League on a Saturday and disallowed in the Champions League on the Tuesday. How can this be right? Surely we have to have one set of rules and interpretations on how VAR is going to operate
throughout football.
Fortunately, we don’t have to worry about this in the lower leagues, but I believe it is having an effect on the standard of referees in our divisions. The better referees are being promoted to the Championship games and there are now more new referees being promoted to the EFL every season, which is good for their
progression, but will they have had the relevant training and observations?
I believe that referees should be observed more in non-first team games, those in the Central League and other similar leagues, where they need to be informed of their mistakes and given the opportunity to rectify them before moving up a step. This is just as important as continuing to observe them once they are in the EFL.
You may be aware that one of our new Directors, Charlie Appleyard, recently put out a supporters communication survey, and over 300 supporters completed this. As part of the Board communicating to supporters more, the Boardroom notes from the programme will also be on the Morecambe FC website the following Monday.
More actions from supporters suggestions will be implemented over the coming weeks.