Fulham manager Roy Hodgson has rated his preparations for their vital relegation clash with Derby on Saturday as the worst since he took charge thanks to international demands.
Thirteen of Fulham's 15 internationals played for their respective countries in midweek and Hodgson claims it has badly disrupted their preparation for such a crucial away game.
Fulham have not won on the road for 18 months but victory against the rock-bottom Rams would not only end their long-standing travel hoodoo but give their Barclays Premier League survival hopes a real boost at the same time.
"We are a little unhappy that 13 out of the 15 players that went away have played 90 minutes and some other clubs seem to have got away with their players being substitutes at half-time," said Hodgson.
"Six or seven of those players are not back in time for this afternoon's training session. So our preparations for this week's game are the worst they have been since I came to the club because we will only have Friday morning to work with the team before we travel to Derby.
"We contacted them all and the news is good there. There is no-one seriously injured but I can't guarantee that there aren't players coming back with knocks.
"David Healy has come back with a knock, which hopefully will see him okay to train tomorrow. That could be the case with one or two of the others."
Hodgson knows victory is vital at Pride Park if they are to give themselves a fighting chance of staying in the top flight.
He added: "Victory is the result we want. They are the bottom club and a few points behind us. But we are both in a very difficult situation.
"Both are showing we are not that easy to beat but if we want to get rid of this away record we have, then it has got to be done on the field of play.
"We need a lot more points. We need to take points from the teams around us. The message to the players has never changed.
"It has always been the same, until we are mathematically out of the race we are very much in it.
"A lot can happen in football and it is so important to keep believing that your ability will get you out of the situation you are in.
"We have to believe we are good enough to do it and then show we are good enough to do it.
"This game is every bit as tough as it was to have beaten Newcastle last week.
"We were not good enough to do that. I hope we play better this week and we will be good enough.
"I don't subscribe to the theory they are bottom of the league and therefore we should easily win the game. I don't subscribe to that view at all."
