QUEENS PARK RANGERS manager Mark Warburton has called for Steve Clarke to use his "common sense" after Lyndon Dykes started three games in six days for Scotland over the international break.
Speaking to STV, the former Rangers boss said the 25-year-old returned to Loftus Road "highly fatigued" - and warned that with a heavy run of games coming up at club level, the striker's fitness could take a hit.
Warburton said: “I’ve got to be honest, to see one of our players go away and start every game when you’ve got the likes of Lawrence Shankland, Callum Paterson, Oli McBurnie and Oli Burke etc, it was difficult for us.
“I’m delighted for Lyndon and how well he’s doing, and for Steve Clarke and the team but we’ve got to be very careful. We’re getting back a player who has played all these minutes and we now go into seven games in 21 days, then there’s another international break. Then we have nine games in 28 days.
“So it can work both ways. This time we are receiving back a highly fatigued player. If he plays every game in the next three weeks then where does that leave him for the next international games?
“This demands communication and hopefully common sense can prevail. You guys have to win games of football but so do we.
“I think he can have a major impact and give you that presence that you need but I’m also very wary that he’s played five times for you and I’m hearing people say he’ll be the number nine for years to come.
“I don’t want to put unnecessary pressure on him. He’s done very, very well and clearly has great pride in playing for Scotland.”
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