STEVE Cotterill is clear in his thinking over which out-of-contract Burnley stars he will retain next season.

Nine players see their current deals expire this summer, with regular first teamers Tony Grant, Graham Branch, Lee Roche, John Oster, Jean-Louis Valois and Mo Camara -- who is reportedly a Celtic target -- heading the list.

Youngsters Paul Scott, Joel Pilkington and Matt O'Neill, currently on loan at Accrington Stanley, complete the lengthy list.

Cotterill insisted: "I have an idea who I will be keeping and who I won't, but the talks that have gone on between me and the players will stay that way until such time as I decide to say what is happening."

Cotterill's more pressing engagement is tonight's Championship clash with QPR at Turf Moor, where Burnley will look to avenge last October's 3-0 defeat at Loftus Road - their heaviest of the season so far.

The Clarets boss insisted: "This is an opportunity to win another game and it's the first we've had for a while against a team not pushing for promotion or relegation.

"But there is a great deal of pride to be played for and we will need to play better than we did at QPR to get a result. We need to have that result in the back of our minds and try to produce a performance tonight that gives us a result."

Like Burnley, Rangers are one of just a handful of teams with nothing but pride to play for in the closing weeks of the season. Ian Holloway's side have stayed well clear of the relegation zone in their first season back in the Championship, while their blistering early season form eventually dipped to leave them pitching up tonight five points better off than the Clarets, in 12th place.

Yet Cotterill insisted: "I think Ian has done a fantastic job as Rangers manager.

"They got promoted last year and I know the euphoria you get from that can carry you through the next season. But you still have to go to Championship grounds and get results and to be fair they have done that and had an excellent season."

Burnley will make another late decision on the fitness of skipper Frank Sinclair, who continues to have treatment on a troublesome calf injury.

Meanwhile, teenage defender Ryan Townsend flew out last night after being called up to Australian U20 training camp ahead of this summer's World Cup in Holland.

The 19-year-old, who was born in England but raised in Oz, has had a frustrating season after being sidelined with shin splints. However, after returning to the youth team in recent weeks and scoring a dramatic equaliser to force extra time in last Saturday's thrilling Alliance Cup final victory over Oldham, Townsend's week looks like ending on a positive note.