Hi °C | Lo °C David Platt is shocked at the moves clubs are trying to make during the transfer window.
And the Coleraine manager is asking the question: where is the money coming from?
The current window closes on Monday week, but for Platt it never really opened, with the financial situation at the Bannsiders dictating that any player movement this month will be outwards.
“How clubs are making approaches to players, being prepared to pay transfer fees and offer bigger wages is beyond me,” said Platt, who was last night already doubting if today’s Carling Premiership game with Portadown will go ahead.
“There have been so many games off throughout the league in recent weeks, not as many fans have been travelling to the matches that have been on and clubs are struggling to cope.
“We have had two home games in the last 10 weeks and there is just no income.
“Football has taken the brunt of the financial climate; people don’t have £10 every week to go to a game.
“A couple of our recent gates have been down by quite a lot in comparison to previous years. Against Glentoran the gate was down by about 400 people, which is £4,000 in financial terms.
“People don’t see that when they ask why you’re not out signing players.
“I am looking for players and have a couple of things that might happen, but that will be in the summer.”
Platt believes that the Irish FA enforced wage cap, due to come in next season, will make clubs wise up financially.
“The sooner the wage cap comes in the better. It’s long overdue,” said Platt.
“Hopefully it is policed right and clubs adhere to it.
“I have no fear of it because we run a very tight ship at Coleraine and things are re-examined on a fortnightly basis. Coleraine is the prime example of what can happen if you stretch yourself financially, but we’ve turned things around.”
