Burnley manager Sean Dyche wants change to transfer system
Burnley manager Sean Dyche has called for a review of the transfer window after finding himself in "the wild west" trying to get late deals done this summer.
Business for Premier League clubs ceased last week and the Clarets twice broke their transfer record prior to the window's closure to bring Steven Defour and then Jeff Hendrick to Turf Moor.
Neither was on the Clarets' books when they began the new season back in August, though, and some of Hendrick's new team-mates will have played in four games by the time he possibly makes his debut against Hull this weekend.
The timing of the window's closure is one which Dyche believes has to be reconsidered to allow players time to bed in to their new surroundings.
"It's a feeding frenzy; the window, as numerous people have said, needs to be looked at it," he said.
"I can't look at it, I'm not powerful enough, but there's managers out there who probably could have a fair say in what goes on and certainly get the powers to think about it.
"It's bizarre, really. Weeks into the season there's this craziness. You get players in who haven't been moulded into your team, so the pre-season, which is designed to get people ready for the start of the season, is kind of pointless if you've got players coming in in the last week.
"Then you've got to remould them all, then if they're internationals you can't because they're away. It just doesn't make any actual sense.
"They've got to look at a better version of it. I'm sure there's enough thoughts on it, mine is just a view, it's not the view. If you got enough people together and got all their thoughts, I think there would be a better way of doing it.
"Whether it's before the season, two weeks before the season...it used to be open all year, until the last few weeks of the season, which we all understood.
"Now all that happens is prices go crazy because it's all last minute. Clubs hold their players until the last minute, bids come in, and then last minute, 'Alright, you can have him'."
Hendrick and new loan striker Patrick Bamford come into the squad, although the latter may have to make do with a place on the bench.
Liverpool loanee Jon Flanagan may make a first league appearance having worked on his fitness over the international break but forward Ashley Barnes remains out with a lower hamstring issue.
Meanwhile, Hull caretaker boss Mike Phelan remains confident he can resolve differences with the club's owners to become permanent manager.
Phelan, 53, was placed in temporary charge when former manager Steve Bruce resigned in July.
He has been in talks with Hull's hierarchy but his representatives issued a statement on Wednesday evening saying the two parties were "still wide apart on an agreement".
The former Manchester United assistant's future is further complicated by the club's pending takeover, and Press Association Sport understands a deal with a Chinese consortium is still on, contrary to reports it had fallen through this week.
Hull vice-chairman Ehab Allam said in his programme notes before the home defeat to Manchester United two weeks ago that he hoped the takeover would be completed before the end of the international break.
The Premier League's owners' and directors' test is all that is holding up the deal and a delay in that process prompted suggestions the Chinese consortium's takeover was off, with other interested parties waiting in the wings.
On his own position, Phelan said: "We had a discussion last week and we're still talking about the situation.
"But it's really irrelevant as far as I'm concerned. It's still all about preparing this team to play in the Premier League, so those discussions will carry on.
"It's not that it's ended, they are still open, so we just focus on the game.
"I've been sat in this chair now for a number of weeks, the team is doing well, the players are performing to the best of their abilities and we've now added to that group of players, so I'm looking forward to the challenge ahead.
"I want to be sitting in this chair a bit more often."
Phelan guided a squad of only 14 fit senior players to fifth place in the Premier League after two wins and one defeat in his first three games in charge.
Hull worked frantically during the closing stages of the transfer window to boost that number and six new signings could be added to the squad for the trip to Turf Moor.
Ryan Mason, Markus Henriksen, Will Keane, James Weir, David Marshall and Dieumerci Mbokani are all expected to be included in the squad.
However, Phelan said he would not be making wholesale changes to the side that started against United.
Source: PAR
