Sunderland chief brands transfer window 'stupid'

Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn believes the "stupid" transfer window system is little more than a money-maker for football agents.

The Irishman is currently working to push home manager Steve Bruce's interest in his own targets at a time of year when neither man likes to do business.

Quinn told the club's official website, www.safc.com: "Put it this way, if I was a football agent and I got all the other agents together and said, 'How can we get more money out of these clubs?', we would invent a transfer window system.

"There is not one fan of it, other than agents who know that when panic ensues, players are bought for larger transfer fees and larger agency fees.

"I have nothing personally against agents - they have a job to do - but what a helping hand this transfer window business gives them. It's stupid stuff."