Bradford City boss Parkinson: We didn’t lose out on deadline day (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Bradford City boss Parkinson: We didn’t lose out on deadline day

7:20am Saturday 2nd February 2013 in Bantams By Simon Parker, Bradford City Reporter

'I think the January window is hyped up to a large extent by the TV,' says Phil Parkinson

Phil Parkinson has dismissed the “hype” of the transfer window, saying: We got what we wanted.

City failed with a deadline-day swoop for Rochdale midfielder Jason Kennedy but Parkinson believes the January market is more crucial for the top flight than the rest.

With the emergency loan market open again for business from Friday, clubs in the lower divisions can still bring in more – something the Bantams will be primed to do with the cash they have saved.

Parkinson said: “I think the January window is hyped up to a large extent by the TV. It is really about the Premier League because from 11 o’clock on Thursday night they can’t add anyone now for the rest of the season.

“At the start of the month we wanted an experienced centre back and got Michael Nelson. We wanted someone to take the pressure off Hans (James Hanson) as a targetman and got Andy Gray.

“Obviously then with (James) Meredith’s illness we got Ryan Dickson, who’s a very good player but just taken a while to get up to speed. We’ve got a strong squad. We’ve just been away to Tenerife and had an 11 v 11 game with 22 senior players.

“There’s also the loan market coming up and we’ve got money if we need to go into that.”

Managers admit January is the worst time to spend because it is a sellers’ market. Clubs know that others are desperate to recruit.

Parkinson added: “The teams at the bottom, like Newcastle and QPR, were the biggest movers in that market. People want to protect their Premier League status.

“When I speak to Alan (Pardew) at Newcastle, he always says it’s a dangerous month for those clubs. You are tempted to spent over-inflated prices and wages which can have a detrimental effect.

“I remember West Ham under Alan Curbishley during the year they stayed up. There was a very small net of players you could get and they brought a lot in who were good short term.

“My mate was working at the club at the time and he said they kept West Ham up but that affected them further down the line because it took a lot of the budget going forward. So you’ve got to be very careful.”

Parkinson was happy to let Ritchie Jones leave Valley Parade after the midfielder made it clear he wanted to find first-team football elsewhere.

The City chief said: “A few of the lads out the squad want to be a part of it. Nobody else was banging on the door.

“They want to stay because we’ve got a great period of the club’s history coming up.

“But Ritchie wants to go and play. To keep someone against their wishes, especially if we have got other options in that area, doesn’t do any favours for the squad.”