The chronicles of the transfer window: The players, the media and the ITKs

Gareth Bale

The summer transfer window – that time of the year when football fans from all over the world stay glued to their computer screens, constantly pressing the F5 key, waiting for the club’s official website to confirm the departure/arrival of a player.

Face it, we have all done it at some point of our lives as football fans, it is only natural. The transfer market is the playground of the media, an amusement park of sorts for them. Just like the roller coasters at theme parks, the media too twists stories and spins many a good yarn to entice naïve football fans into lapping up the speculation.

A fraction of those rumours may be true but a majority of them are nothing but hogwash. The moves predicted by these reports are as non-existent as the Loch Ness monster. And yet despite knowing these fallacies the common football fan continues to be entranced by the media.

This transfer window must be one of the strangest ones in recent memory. We have been treated to an array of stories and sagas. Some of these sagas have stretched longer than the Star Wars franchise. The amount of drama that has been observed in this window can put any Hindi soap opera to shame.

The three main stories that have captivated fans this season have been those of Rooney, Bale and Liverpool’s L’enfant terrible: Luis Suarez. The similarities in the patterns that have emerged in these three transfer stories have been remarkable. They all start with the player sulking, who proceeds in phases to being ‘injured’ or being asked to train with the reserves, the universal punishment policy of clubs throughout the land.

By far the ugliest one of the lot has involved Luis Suarez. Not since the days of Diego Maradona has a player so polarized opinions like Suarez has. A terrific talent and a game changer, Luis Suarez has dazzled with his trickery and pace and has left many a defence in shambles with his wizardry. But it is his many on field misdemeanors that have made headlines, not least his tendency to exhibit the spirit of Hannibal Lecter on more than one occasion.

This season has seen him openly courting any Champions League club that would take him. Arsenal was the first to respond, putting two bids in, the second of which caused a media furore for its cheekiness and daring. Bad blood has now been created between two sets of supporters who always got along well in the past, and the fixture should now carry some extra spice since Suarez doesn’t seem destined for the Emirates.

Bale is destined to become the most expensive player in the world, a crown which may be too heavy to carry for the young Welshman in the often unforgiving environment of the Bernabeu.

This transfer window has been especially frustrating for two sets of supporters; Arsenal and Manchester United fans have had to sit and watch as rival clubs have strengthened their squads. The frustration of both sets of supporters is very evident on social networking sites like Twitter, which has become the agony aunt of football fans.

Arsenal fans have been worst hit; promised a utopia filled with big name signings, the reality of the situation has hit fans hard. The enthusiasm has been sapped from them like blood being sucked out by a leech. Left to clutch straws at rumours, fans have now directed their negativity to the manager and the board, and this has not made for pleasant reading.

Along with the media there has been a section of individuals who have run riot in this window. The ITKs (In the Know) as they are called have led fans on a merry ride throughout the summer and keep continuing to do so. These self proclaimed ‘Special Ones’ claim to be privy to privileged information from ‘contacts’ at the club. But they are nothing but false prophets whose words count for nothing.

This grand carnival, as it should rightly be viewed, is now approaching its last leg. If things were crazy before, then that was only a trailer; the film is still left to play. The last two weeks are the most critical and sees many a move being made. But football fans need to realize that transfers do not take place at the touch of a button like in the FIFA game series.

It is a complex and often long drawn procedure with various technicalities and nuances. The emergence of player power along with the rise of the football agent has led to several obstacles. The astronomical fees that agents charge in their role as facilitators is also a major stumbling block for clubs.

For now, all the fans can do is wait and watch. This is the calm before the storm.