I could devote this article to all the reasons why I think transfer windows only favour the big money clubs but I'll spare you that thrill for another day.

As it is, the closing of a transfer window almost always bring changes for a club. Some of them will be popular, some will be unpopular, others will have to stand the test of time.

For instance, the departure of Jordan Stewart to Sheffield United has generally been greeted with approval. Stewart's time at Pride Park hasn't been the most successful for either him or the Rams and both parties will be pleased with the parting of the ways, I'm sure.

The movement of Lee Hendrie in the opposite direction has met with a more mixed reception. Some fans point to his age, still others worry about his past as something of a wild boy. Nevertheless, I personally think he's of more use to the Rams than Stewart was and so in that respect, it's likely to be a good move. Of course, like all other transfers, time will tell if indeed it does prove to be the case..

Whereas my initial reaction was positive on hearing of Hendrie's move to the Rams, that wasn't the case with Paul Dickov. Dickov's a player that I've never been able to take to. He's always been a bit of a Robbie Savage type to me, if not as extreme and I was a bit disappointed to hear he's now a Ram until the end of the year at least. Mind you, I now have a different opinion of Savage (although I've neither forgotten nor forgiven his previous antics) so if Dickov can emulate Savage in that respect, he'll have been a success.

The departure of Claude Davis however, has been met with 100% approval. Davis's signing for £3m from Sheffield United must rank as one of, if not the worst Rams' signing in recent history. We have Billy Davies to thank for that. Let's hope his undoubted eye for a footballer doesn't desert him while he's in charge of our friends from the wrong end of Brian Clough Way. The one thing that Davis excelled at was in never failing to amaze me at how completely inept and lacking in ability he could appear to be. Palace are welcome to him.

Now I'm not going to mention every departure and arrival but one move that I think is worthy of discussion is the one that didn't actually happen. I think no-one would have been too surprised if Rob Hulse had moved to Middlesbrough. There had been rumours of steadiliy increasing bids right up until the window closed at 5pm.

In the event, Hulse elected to stay with the Rams, claiming that the move just didn't feel right. In doing so, he bucked the trend of the club's current POTY moving on at the start of the next season.

It's good that Rob feels that way. It's more evidence that Nigel Clough is having some success in building the sort of team spirit and ethic that he wants. What does worry me a little though is that I personally haven't read anywhere where the clubs says they actually couldn't agree a fee.

Of course, every player has his price and £4m or more for Hulse certainly wasn't underselling him but when a club (any club, not just the Rams) then says that they're glad that player has decided to stay with them, I find it a bit disingenuous.

If a club receives an attractive offer for a player they genuinely want to keep, what's wrong with them asking the player if he wants the move? If he says no and that genuinely is the answer they want to hear, why not just decline all bids for him and be up front about it? It does happen occasionally but am I otherwise just being a bit naïve?

Either way, the squad Nigel Clough has now is the one that he'll have until the next transfer window opens in January. He's managed to move out pretty much all the dead wood he wanted to and although those players brought in may not be the most inspiring names you'll read in the back pages, they're the ones he wanted. It's now up to him (and them) to take the club forward some more.

Catch you soon.

 
© Steve Tickle 2008

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