Express & Star

Jeremy Peace: Close the transfer window

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West Brom chairman Jeremy Peace asked the Premier League to close the transfer deadline before the start of the season.

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But the Baggies owner admits the change is unlikely to happen,

writes Steve Madeley.

Peace and his officials brought in 11 new players this summer during a major overhaul of the squad, including several after the opening game of the new campaign.

But he admits he would be in favour of moving the transfer deadline to before the big kick-off.

He said: "If you spoke to the other clubs in the Premier League they would all say it's not ideal.

"We are all the same in our little league.

"My ideal would be that you get your squad done and start playing and the window shuts, then you all know where you stand.

"No player thinks that they might be moving and thinking they'd better not get injured.

"And players would not be coming to you saying they're not in the right frame of mind.

"We have raised it with the Premier League and said 'close the transfer window at the start of the season'.

But they mention the League Cup, the FA Cup, no winter break, the fact that World Cups and European Championships eat into the window. All of these things mean we can't do it so we're stuck with it as it is and everybody has got the same set of problems.

"If we could do it I would certainly be in favour because it would remove a whole load of uncertainty during the season.

"You try to get things done as early as possible but you can't. People talk about not doing anything until after the World Cup."

However, Peace insists he is happy with the Baggies' business since their brush with relegation last season.

He said: "In a way we have had a major sea-change in the last three months because we wanted to draw a line under what had gone on last season and almost reboot it, start all over again and we have tried to get the right type of player in terms of not only the way they play but also the type of characters involved to take us forward."

Meanwhile, Albion head of communications John Simpson has left following 13 years at the club along with media and PR manager Oliver Bhurrut, who spent 12 years at the Hawthorns.

Former Express & Star chief sports writer Martin Swain joined this week as the Baggies' new director of communications.