RANGERS will seek to postpone their league meeting with Raith Rovers on September 5 if Mark Warburton feels they will be weakened by having players on international duty.

There is the possibility that Dean Shiels will be called up by Northern Ireland, while Lithuania are likely to request Marius Zaliukas, and striker Ryan Hardie is with Scotland’s under-19s that week.

It is also possible that on-loan Tottenham players Nathan Oduwa and Dominic Ball could be in the England Under-21 side who face the USA Under-23 team, which could feature Gedion Zelalem, who is expected to complete his loan from Arsenal tomorrow.

Warburton said: “If we are weakened to the point where we feel we can’t put out a decent squad, then absolutely. We’ve got to be best prepared for every game. There is no point in us beating teams at the top of the table if we are not beating teams at the bottom if we are not prepared.

“That’s got to be our focus. If we lose players we will deal with it as and when. I presume there must be a deadline when I would request the game off. We need to wait for the call-up papers coming in and until then it’s supposition.

“I think Dean Shiels and Marius Zaliukas might be on stand-by.

“The FA have not been in touch yet regarding the Tottenham lads but I know Dan Ashworth and Aidy Boothroyd so they will call me I’m sure.”

It would obviously mean a re-scheduled date in an already congested calendar, but Warburton is used to a heavy programme.

He said: “We will deal with it. We will rotate the team and we need players who are flexible. We’re used to a brutal schedule and travelling in England playing Saturday-Tuesday every week.”