Window of lost opportunity

I WON’T be a hypocrite. Like most everyone else, I’ve relished the constant transfer speculation that’s infused the sports pages and broadcasts ever since the World Cup climaxing in some remarkable deals on the final day of trading.

But we’ll all have to go cold turkey now until January when the next transfer window opens. And, again, I find myself asking just what is it all about? What is the point of rail-roading all transfer activity into certain, confined times of the year? Who benefits?

I struggle to remember why these windows were introduced in the first place. I have this vague recollection that they were meant to provide stability in the market. Well, you could have fooled me or didn’t you notice the mad scramble towards Thursday’s midnight deadline?