IN A week when Liverpool and England have been involved in a tug of war over Daniel Sturridge, Farsley boss Neil Parsley has voiced similar concerns over a striker.

Parsley has three top goalscorers in Aiden Savory, Adam Priestley and Marcus Edwards but, as Louis Van Gaal will testify with Rooney, van Persie and Falcao, you cannot always accommodate three strikers in most systems.

“I have to tinker around up front with the three lads,” said Parsley.

“They are all fine players with proven goalscoring records but you can’t always play with three up top. I have to switch them around and there were raised eyebrows a couple of weeks back when I left Aiden out but one of the others came in and we won the game.

“Its not that I’m leaving them out, I’m protecting them from stress injuries and being overplayed. It gets really difficult with Adam playing for Gibraltar as I lose him for two or three games when he gets his call-ups.”

The frustration of losing one of your best players is clear but that is where the similarities end between Parsley and Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers. The Farsley boss encourages his players to play for their country and works with them to keep them fresh for international games.

Parsley doesn’t just have Prestley to worry about – he does the same for Jason St Juste, who is a St Kitts and Nevis international.

The Farsley boss said: “It’s a difficult balance, not just managing your own squad while you have players away on international duty but also knowing where they are fitness-wise so that they are in the best shape to shine on the international stage.

“You need to keep them match fit but injury free for their countries. The hardest part of that is gauging it if they have had a little niggling injury.

“We try and keep everyone happy here and if the results and performances keep coming then us manager/coaches and the spectators are happy as well.”