Martinez Comments Strike a Chord

Roberto Martinez wishes the transfer window closed prior to the season kicking off; A sentiment Hibs fans can relate to.

Everton boss Roberto Martinez has hit out at the impact of regulated transfer windows and believes they should be shut prior to the opening league games of the season to allow players to fully focus on their current club without distractions from elsewhere.

Obviously Martinez was discussing the matter in relation to England international John Stones but his overtures could easily be replicated by the Hibs hierarchy regarding Scott Allan and the disruption it’s caused within Easter Road both on and off the field.

For any non Hibees reading this article, Scott Allan is Hibs prized asset and has been the subject of three failed bids from Rangers, the team he idolised as a child and where conveniently his best friend now plys his trade.

The bids from Rangers have certainly turned his head. He sees greater riches on offer, the chance to play for his boyhood heroes and to link up with his best buddy.

However you want to look at it, it’s definitely caused disharmony in the squad just prior to the big kick off in the Ladbrokes Scottish Championship with head coach Alan Stubbs commenting some players had used it as an excuse to perform poorly in a surprise opening day defeat to Dumbarton.

Martinez’s comments are certainly thought provoking. Had the transfer window ‘slammed’ shut prior to the first game of the season then we wouldn’t have to speculate on what could or couldn’t happen in regards to an important player’s future for the best part of three weeks.

The down side of the argument would be the specifics required to make such an innovative idea work.

Across Europe, there are different start dates for many of the league’s under the UEFA banner which would clearly be problematic in assigning a date which would suit all parties as the major clubs would certainly not wish to hand an advantage to others competing in premier competitions such as the Champions League.

Martinez though clearly believes the system is workable and I’m sure football fans across the country believe it would be a fairer system particularly to provincial clubs whose fans bite their nails on transfer deadline day in the hope their star player won’t depart for pastures new.

This week has saw the Allan transfer situation remain quiet but with Hibs due to play Rangers in two weeks time, we can be sure the cat will be put amongst the pigeons prior to the clash with the Ibrox outfit likely to submit another offer just to see what, if any, disruption they can cause.