STEVE Cotterill has called for the FA to look at ending the two-week breaks that are forcing lower league clubs to "flog" their players early in the season.

The Clarets return to action today after the second international shut-down of the season due to international double-headers, which saw defender Michael Duff earn his sixth and seventh caps for Northern Ireland.

Another blank weekend is set to interrupt the schedules in November, when the domestic schedule has been cleared for the World Cup qualifying play-off matches.

However, those breaks have meant clubs like Burnley, with one of the smallest squads in the country, have been forced to patch players up for games that have, on average, come around every three days so far this season.

Burnley played seven games in 24 days before the first fortnightly break in late August, followed by another seven in 21 days between September 10-30. By the time the Clarets break again for two-weeks off on November 5, they will have played another seven games in 22 days.

Cotterill said: "The breaks are welcome, but I don't know if we need two weeks off.

"Maybe the first couple of rounds of the Carling Cup could be played in the international weeks, because to not have a game in a couple of weeks does hit the lower clubs harder, especially with a small squad, trying to play all the games.

"You are flogging the players and when you get to that stage, you can ask for the maximum from your players but they might not quite have it."

Cotterill added: "When you have got a small squad, you're pushing your lads beyond limits all the time.

"It's okay if you've got four strikers, eight midfielders and six defenders that you can permutate and if one feels a bit down or off-colour, you can take him out.

It is a squad game these days and that's why we need everyone fit because they can only give so much."