TONY PULIS has urged the Football Association to look at how the January transfer window works after breathing a sigh of relief after a frantic first deadline day as Middlesbrough manager.

Pulis thinks the fact that teams were playing midweek matches in or around the time of the January 31 cut off for deals to be done was a joke.

The Middlesbrough boss, who also called for a return to a longer period for deals like there used to be before the widespread window system was introduced by FIFA in 2002-03, is looking forward to getting on with the football.

This summer will be the first time that the window will close before the Premier League season has kicked off - on August 9. Pulis still thinks more needs to be done.

He said: “It was busy. It’s something in my view the authorities should start looking at, it’s become a circus. To have midweek games so close to the deadline day is ridiculous. It will be interesting to see why the authorities do that because it puts more strain on managers and clubs.

“If they want a cut off period at the end of last month then give everyone a free week so it’s not as chaotic, it is frustrating for managers, players, everyone. I find it ridiculous and it could be resolved.

“It shows the amount of decisions that are made by the people above who have no idea how this game works. I still think I would go back to where it went before and have a cut off in March time.

“It’s brilliant for TV, the papers and probably why they will keep it going, but for what we do and how we prepare it is a chaotic two weeks. I know they have changed it next season, for the summer, but there will still be massive distraction.

“The whole situation, when they put a midweek game into that week as well, is a ridiculous situation and only people who have no understanding what coaches and managers go through, and everyone connected with it can make that decision.”

Pulis spent Wednesday working on a number of deals, with Martin Braithwaite, Cyrus Christie and Ashley Fletcher leaving as well as Adlene Guedioura. He also brought in Mo Besic and Martin Cranie, a day after landing winger Jack Harrison.

Pulis, who has no fresh injury problems ahead of Saturday’s trip to Norwich, said: “With people leaving we had to cover certain areas.

“Besic has been a very good Premier League player, capped many times by the country. He had a bad injury, not fully recovered and hasn’t got back into the team, so this is an opportunity to look at him.

“Jack comes back to England and we have had the opportunity to take him. If he settles in and enjoys it, does well then hopefully we can extend that. We are pleased with Man City for how they have looked after us to have Jack.

“He is nowhere near match fit, pre-season is underway over there and we will have to be patient. As for Martin Cranie, as soon as Cyrus went we had to have cover. It’s a short term contract, I have known him since he was a young kid and cover the areas we need.”

Pulis is unlikely to throw the new recruits into action at Carrow Road, where Middlesbrough need the points to stay in touch with the play-off places.

But the former West Brom boss is looking for improvements for that to happen and knows Norwich, inconsistent themselves, can cause problems on home soil.

Pulis said: “Norwich have hit some form lately, the manager has changed it round. I have never been to Carrow Road and had an easy game either. I know it will be tough.

“We have played really well and even in the home games we have not won, when you are doubling everything the opposition is doing in the final third, we have done one thing short and that’s put the ball in the net.

“Everything else about the performances has been excellent but we have to be - whether it’s the forwards, defenders whoever - more clinical.

“We need to put a run of games together, that’s the important thing. Our home form has to improve because we need to win games. That’s vital but we need results away from home too and that will be tough.

“There is no reason why we shouldn’t be in there. There’s a lot of confident, now with all the nonsense finished it’s about getting this club in the play-offs.”