Europe's leading football coaches "want the transfer window to be shortened, contradicting the position of their clubs," according to Brian Homewood of REUTERS. Tottenham Hotspur coach Andre Villas-Boas said, "The clubs like it as it is but the coaches are of the opinion that the market should be closed earlier." He added, "The coaches need time to prepare their teams for the season." The summer transfer window closed on Monday, "causing confusion among coaches who began the season without knowing which of their players would remain at their club." Serie A Napoli coach Rafael Benitez said, "You prepare everything with your players and one week after your players can be playing against you." Both coaches said that they "welcomed UEFA's financial fair play initiative which prohibits clubs from spending more than their generated revenue." Villas-Boas: "I think it's a great step definitely, it will also promote investment in youth, which doesn't count as expenditure under the rules financial fair play" (REUTERS, 9/5). The AP reported the call follows UEFA President Michel Platini, who said that "this window is too long and will have to shorten it.'' Platini: "We will ask FIFA to have a look into what we propose and for all European leagues to start at the same time" (AP, 9/5).
