Arsene Wenger believes UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations played a role in minimising transfer activity during the January transfer window and claimed the lack of business adds weight to the argument that mid-season moves should be abolished.
While the Frenchman was pleased with his own business – signing Gabriel and Krystian Bielik and securing new contracts for both Francis Coquelin and Chuba Akpom – he feels football could easily cope without an unnecessary distraction.
“I saw on television people who were a bit lost; jobless,” he joked of the coverage of Deadline Day.
“I would just like to say that it shows that Financial Fair Play had an impact, for sure. We’ve seen seasons before, it was never such a low activity level across Europe.
“Basically nothing happened. It pushes even more an idea forward; let’s completely get rid of it. Let’s go from season to season with the same players.”
Highlighting that the opportunity to switch clubs halfway through the season also unsettles both individual players and squads as a whole, Wenger added:
“It disturbs the cohesion of the groups within the season. When the players don’t play at the end of September and in October they already think, ‘maybe I’ll move in January.’
“You know…You lose them. In our job it’s important that everybody is on board. I find the transfer window disturbs that.”
Arseblog News suspects that the final point is predominantly a reflection of Arsene’s dealings with Lukas Podolski; a player he’d have been happy to have on the books for the rest of the season, but one that ultimately wanted more playing time as soon as possible.
This January we’ve obviously benefited from being able to make signings, however, Arsene’s suspicion of mid-season activity is long-held. As far back as 2009 he pinpointed a spending spree by newly-minted Manchester City as an unfair advantage over teams who were also threatened by relegation.
Great idea.
How come we don’t hear any other managers thinking about the game like this? I’m guessing because we have the brightest and best.
50 likes and only one dislike? About a month ago approx 50% were Wenger out and now only 2%! Probably go back if we lose tommorow but for now its happy days!
Never was 50/50 imo. More like 20/80.
In Arsene we trust.
i back the man in general, have never called for his ouster (though i certainly offer criticism, e.g. i would prefer subbing our players starting in the 60th minute and taking off the people who need the most rest) and concur with this idea in theory. that said, it’s an odd point to make when the biggest thing anyone could criticize about his performance in recent months was not signing a c.b. before september. *he* (and thus we) really needed the january window this season, so to have addressed a major squad shortcoming in that window and then turn around… Read more »
“….we don’t hear any other managers thinking about the game like this”
Perhaps other managers might think it they would sound just a tad hypocritical after Bielik was signed, Gabriel was signed, Podolski was loaned, Sanogo was loaned and Afobe was sold –all in the January window which just closed days ago.
…oh, and of course surplus to requirements Coquelin taken back from Charlton.
Yes its a fantastic idea , but only if we do the necessary business in the summer. I believe this January window has given us much needed security at the back with the signing of Gabriel.
Nice idea, but what about the smaller clubs who need to get rid of some players to raise cash for the rest of the season? Or the ones that need to sign players due to an injury crisis and so on
I’m guessing that’s where squad depth and player management come in handy. I do see the irony in his comments though – you’d like to think that if the Jan window didn’t exist, he’d have recruited properly in the summer.
That sort of fiscal necessity is the result of poor management – You should, as a club, be responsible in managing your finances for at least one season at a time. As for injury crises, we have supremely benefited this January, but remember, we could have avoided such a crises with smarter business in the summer. Maybe the lack of a winter window could have aided us in making more targets available. Also what if only loans were allowed in January? Either way, my point is that it’s accepted that there is a January window, and so clubs plan with… Read more »
good, so our need to buy a cb in january (a window he wants to get rid of) was due to bad management
Personally find that it’s a window that most benefits clubs that are in the relegation battle.
In terms of the timing of the window, Arsene has a point. It can indeed mess up the mindset of unhappy players and can as a consequence affect a club.
Perhaps it’s not such a bad idea to be able to get rid of unhappy players mid-season. These can be a cancer in the dressing room.
But maybe it’s good to be able to offload unhappy players at mid-season. These people can be a cancer in the dressing room.
The problem isn’t players’ freedom to move – very few other markets place such strong restrictions on moving jobs. The problem is financial doping, and hopefully he’s right and the FFP is really responsible for Chelsea’s (and others’) “prudence”.
Arsene is a guy I can clearly see leading UEFA in future, even maybe FIFA – always thinking about the big picture – his recent comments on the game and its general direction certainly raise suspicion that he might be thinking the same thing!
Dude!!
Dont rob Arsenal’s most valuable assest
Arsene Wenger
The best part of the Past.Present.Future of our beloved ARSENAL!!!!
Wenger is far too honest to get the FIFA job. Candor like his is disqualifying. Imagine how he’d react to the World Cup bribe-o-rama. I tend to agree with those who see the January window as more important to the small clubs, overall. It’s a distraction, sure, but Arsenal has usually handled it well. And if you want to talk about disruption, imagine a player stuck on a team that won’t play him but can’t sell him. If you restrict it to loans only, there will still be under-the-table discussions about which loans could be made permanent in the summer,… Read more »
Way to go arsene
Well without the jan transfer window, how will you have been able to solve my cb problem mr wenger??
Are you trying to say YOU haven’t benefited from it too??
Read Bouldy’s eyeliner above – same answer as yours but without sounding like a squealing baby
You sound like a little fanboy with no brains. If he didn’t have this “avenue to rectify his mistakes during the summer window” you think we’d have stood a chance of making the top 4?
Does your boyfriend wenger always have a perfect summer transfer window?
If this jan transfer window was scrapped, do you think it’d make chelsea and city suddenly drop points??
There’s been an influx of special people on the blog recently don’t you think?
I was just wondering about the same thing. The witty repartee has seemed to have given way to snide snap-backs and retorts being taken personally and being lashed out in the same vein. Ah… well, I guess the YouTube comments section spirit is all pervading.
The guy’s a troll. Look back at previous articles and you’ll see him spouting the same childish nonsense, in the most boorish fashion possible. Avoid at all costs.
I hope you are not referring to “special needs” as that would be not good! I am speaking as someone who works with wonderful people that have learning disabilities.
They would not spout rubbish on sites like this so calling him “special” is a poor choice of word.
Be careful mate please.
I’m a “troll” because 1. Some find my comments too blunt. “i’m too negative”, etc. 2. People like @arsependant get offended because i don’t feel giroud is “world class” or because i don’t say we have the best strikers in league or because i committed the most cardinal sin pf them all- criticize Wenger when he makes a mistake(actually criticizing giroud IS the biggest sin of them all on here) 3. Insult whoever insults me because i have an opinion different to theirs. So YES I AM A TROLL…as long as blogs doesn’t have a problem with my opinion, i… Read more »
Its always rubbish when someone has a different opinion to yours.
You’re always a troll when you’re rational and realistic as possible.
I guess i have to join the “happy crowd” so dear Arsependant would accept me.
Oh what shall i ever do…
3 thumbs down – wow!
So.. Is Coquelin done then?
Extended?
Honestly we throw LANS around but fuck me.. Think he’s the real deal
This is not the first time Wenger talks sense and it sounds like nonsense to many others.
Logical points – play for trophy with the same set of players because changing them is not a fair reflection of the competition. E.g. If Chelsea were in the position like Dortmund, they would have blown atleast £ 150M in a Jan transfer window.
#Koscielnytendonitis #GabrielPaulista #balancedsquad.
I don’t know why any football organisations investigate the transfer deals of Chelsea! PSG, one oil club, paid 50 millions to buy a shit defender from another oil club. This single transfer helped Chelsea be safe in the financial fair play books. I am not an economic expert. But there was something really fishy in that deal! Imagine if Chelsea agreed to sell Luiz for 15 million. But since they have enough money to buy some three star players by remaining clean under FFP rules, the two money clubs decided to disclose a fake figure. Announcing a higher price might… Read more »
You’re also not a linguistics expert.
Bollocks, Wenger! There should actually be NO transfer windows. Football was more exciting in the days when a big signing could be made at any tine in the season (except the last few weeks). If a club was struggling either at the top or bottom of the table they could purchase a centre-forward or defender who could make all the difference. That was great. And in these days where football is more of a business than a sport, why shouldn’t a club which is desperate for money be allowed to cash in on its star player whenever it liked? And… Read more »
erm… as soon as you make sure we are fully equipped to compete at start of season.
Hey careful now…you might be called a “troll” for pointing this out.