STUART PEARCE called for the introduction of a transfer window for managers yesterday in an effort to bring an end to the culture of “farcical” kneejerk reactions that he believes is blighting the game.

The Manchester City manager wants a system similar to that which exists for players that would make it impossible for a club to dismiss a manager outside two “windows” in the winter and summer.

Pearce, whose job at City has come under scrutiny in recent weeks, believes that managers are coming under too much pressure after a handful of poor results and thinks such a structure would force clubs to be more considered when assessing their positions.

A 4-0 thrashing by Wigan Athletic at the JJB Stadium last weekend — City’s fourteenth defeat in 17 away games — prompted an angry reaction from John Wardle, the club’s chairman, who gave warning that a repeat performance would not be tolerated, but Pearce is by no means the only Barclays Premiership manager to be feeling the heat.

Alan Pardew, the West Ham United manager, Iain Dowie, in charge of Charlton Athletic, and Gareth Southgate, the Middlesbrough manager, have all come under varying degrees of pressure of late, while Rafael Benítez’s position at Liverpool was called into question last night after an astonishing attack from an unnamed Anfield director.

Pearce’s concerns were echoed by Sir Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United manager, and Arsène Wenger, of Arsenal — the Premiership’s two longest standing managers — although neither supported his calls for a managerial transfer window.

Ferguson was close to being dismissed at Old Trafford before United’s victory in the 1990 FA Cup Final eased the pressure on his shoulders and Pearce believes that Ferguson is the “perfect example” of why clubs should not make hasty decisions.

“Maybe somewhere in the future the authorities are going to have to say, ‘If you’re going to move managers on, then you are going to have to do it in the transfer window’,” Pearce said. “Then people could concentrate on their jobs a little more fully. At the moment, we have got a situation where one result can dictate whether you are doing well, average or badly.

“I don’t think that’s healthy for the game or any individual club and I find it quite farcical. I’ve been in the game long enough to have seen the ups and downs many times, but at the moment it seems to be accelerating out of all control.

“It’s Alan Pardew this week, Iain Dowie next week, Stuart Pearce the week before, Gareth Southgate the week before that and so it goes on. It’s a ridiculous trend.”

Having woken to discover an anonymous Liverpool director questioning the direction in which he was taking the club after a poor start to the season that saw them slump to eleventh position in the Premiership after a 2-0 defeat by Manchester United last Sunday, Benítez called for a little perspective yesterday.

“Some people have short memories,” the Spaniard, who has won the Champions League, European Super Cup and FA Cup in less than 2½ years at Anfield, said.