Fix the broken window to stop this mad rush

Delay: Spurs' signing of Rafael Van der Vaart is another example of the mechanics of the transfer window
11 April 2012

Another transfer window has closed and again we have seen a mad rush to get deals completed by clubs across the country.

The lengthy delay surrounding Tottenham's signing of Rafael van der Vaart is just another example of how the mechanics of the system need to be reviewed.

It is hard enough that there's so much paperwork to do on a transfer but on deadline day it all has to be faxed in a short amount of time. It is outdated, especially when you have e-mails and scanners available to do things faster.

The fact you have to fax 30 pages through to the Football Association, then check that they've received it, wait for them to read through it and then get it back to you — it's archaic in this day and age.

We saw this with Tottenham but it happens all the time. Everything should be more simplified, not just the paperwork involved. Fax machines used to be the way forward but we're beyond that now and the system needs to catch up.

There is something wrong when you can have a player flown from Barcelona to Birmingham, like Alexander Hleb was on Tuesday, have everything agreed by 4pm and then end up waiting for the papers to be documented.

In Italy, it is different. A week before the transfer window closes, everyone goes to a hotel in Milan and secretaries from every club meet in one room, agents in another. The Italian FA are there as well. Everyone is on site and the business is done.

I just feel we should be more cutting edge to allow football clubs to do their business. As long as it's done the right way, the mechanics on how it is completed shouldn't be holding things up these days.

The 31 August deadline is not helpful either when you consider the Football League season started on 4 August.

Things can be awkward because you can have a team for three weeks and then lose five players on the last day of August, like we did at Watford last year.

There is a flip side to the window, of course. There was a lot of speculation surrounding my goalkeeper, Scott Loach, and I was happy to see the clock tick past 6pm with him still at Watford.

Before the system came in, clubs could sign anyone up until March and that would make retaining a player such as Scott even harder, or at least make him more unsettled.

There were a couple of enquiries but thankfully he is still with us. Scott is a good lad and someone who knows that he's going to end up at the top level.

There is a way to go about it and he is doing that by learning his trade with us. Playing regularly in the Championship is a great experience for him and has proved invaluable to his international career so far with the England U21s and another deserved call-up to the full squad today.

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