I was originally responding to the “it’s been a total clusterfuck” comment which simply isn’t the case because the window is the length it is for a reason.
We’re a club with parachute money and a relatively healthy budget boosted by Anel and Souza sales. The flip side of that is other clubs know we’ve got money to spend and if we come in early in the window their price tags will be inflated.
Bettis has been clear on this before, even going back to the Wilder years saying we won’t be held to ransom, and if that means waiting until later in the window then so be it. (He mentioned this in his Radio Sheffield interview a couple of seasons ago.)
The strategy hasn’t been to sit on our hands. The board’s intention has always been to strengthen, but they’ve also had to balance the books of player sales, moving wages off the bill, avoiding another Cannon type deal. That takes time, and unfortunately the timing has been magnified by our poor start to the season making logical, patient business look like panic when in reality it’s been about waiting for the right opportunities.
There were probably some deviations from the plan because no TW ever goes perfectly. But to claim “we should’ve just done our business earlier” misses for me. The market doesn’t work like that, and in our situation it would have meant overpaying. Far from being a clusterfuck, IMO it’s been a pragmatic approach of holding your nerve, getting value for money, and avoiding being ripped off just because fans want instant movement. Imagine another Cannon price? Some of our fans would’ve committed suicide.
But like I said, this has all been inflated due to our poor start which I don’t think has been the fault of an inactive TW. This is proven by our finish last year and a fully capable squad of getting at least 9 out of 12 points so far this season.