It's not about the money, money, money

A squib is a small explosive device, often used in the movie industry to create the type of small scale explosions ideal for special effects. Alternatively in Harry Potter land it's a crap wizard or something. The reason anyone by and large has heard of a squib is most likely due to the phrase 'damp squib' meaning something with an element of disappointment or anticlimax to it.

This January transfer window has been seen in some circles as the very epitome of a damp squib - Sky Sports News in particular loving nothing more than the dramatic hyperbolic explosiveness of being able to send their army of men in coats to go and stand in club car parks and peer in through tinted windows. The total money spent thermometers, the gossip/bullshit and of course the orgasmic BREAKING NEWS bright yellow ticker, oh yes my friends, they love a bit of Transfer Deadline Day.

Thankfully in my opinion this farce went by largely as it should this time around, with a few moderately interesting signings, some calculated risks and one or two inexplicable head scratchers - but tempered with a sobriety and sense of calm that really is the way these things should be done. Last year's Torres/Carroll lunacy was all well and good, but look where it ended up for all parties involved.

Perhaps the huge money spent on those two last January played a part, with managers unwilling to be the next high profile wall pisser upper of their chairman's hard-earned. Perhaps it is due to the general economic climate; maybe it's the fact that the league is having such an unpredictable season that far more managers are content with their squads than usual.

I think in fact the main factor that deflected from this deadline day was, believe it or not folks, the fact that we actually had some real life proper and important football going on. Half the time it feels like the media nowadays are happy to create a soap opera out of football, where the games themselves are merely a plot device to keep the salacious stuff moving along. For fans and it would seem managers and players, however, the football itself is what really matters.

A crucial set of fixtures this week contained more than enough drama and intrigue. In a round which saw City falter again, United somehow keep on their tails despite being a pale imitation of former Ferguson sides, Spurs prove once more their credentials as arguably best team going on current form, Chelsea and Arsenal falter and Wigan slide further towards the abyss; there really was no need to get all excited about transfer gossip.

Indeed, if so inclined you could argue it proved an annoyance, a distraction. West Ham did cracking business, bringing in the proven goalscoring abilities of Ricardo Vaz Te and, in particular, Nicky Maynard; not to mention the could be awesome could blow up in spectatcular fashion Ravel Morrison. How did they get on? Lost 5-1 to Ipswich, whilst those deals were being inked.

For me it was refreshing to be able to cast one eye over the interesting stuff to develop on deadline day, but remain focussed on the far more important matters of the actual games taking place. I'd much rather this than the orgy that occurs in certain circles when the window 'slams shut' on a non-playing day. Lest we forget, the most important thing is the football.

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I say the most important thing...in closing I have to mention the horrific scenes and tragic news from the Egyptian Premier League. 74 people have died and hundreds injured following rioting after a match between Al Masry and Al-Ahly. I'm nowhere near informed enough to begin postulating about the situation in Egypt and what may fuel the unrest that may have played a part in this tragedy, all I know is this. Sure it sometimes feels like 'the most important thing is the football' but not when lives are at stake. 74 people went out to watch a football match, never to return. Nothing is worth that.