Dundee manager Barry Smith has been refused permission to recall striker Leighton McIntosh from international duty.
McIntosh has travelled with the Scotland under-19 squad to Slovenia for a tournament also involving the host nation, Wales and Belgium.
His duty for his country, though, has caused a major problem for his club.
The Dark Blues have only one fit frontman, Steven Milne, available for Saturday’s home league match against Hamilton Accies, with Jake Hyde and Graham Bayne both injured.
The selection crisis caused Smith to ask the SFA if McIntosh could return to Dens, but his request was turned down.
”I have been on the phone to the SFA all weekend trying to get Leighton back here,” said Smith. ”I have been told that because he has been picked for his country we can’t get him back and it’s in the UEFA rules.
”I fully understand where they are coming from when the SFA say that if they allow him to come back to us then it would open the door to other clubs to ask for their players too.
”I know people could say that if they are doing it for Dundee then why not for them. My argument is, though, that at this point in time I only have one striker out of four available to me. Two are injured and Leighton is away.
”That causes me a problem. What I want to do is let the Dundee supporters know that I have tried my best to get him back.
”I do find it disappointing in the circumstances that they have not agreed to do so. Can there not be some consideration given to the fact that we are a first division club and don’t have resources to get a replacement? He is the only player from our league in the squad.”
Smith, who feels he has taken the matter as far as he can, is aware Aberdeen manager Craig Brown is also unhappy that he will lose first-team player Fraser Fyvie to the under-19 team. However, he feels the Dons should be better able to cope.
”I know Craig Brown has been pointing out that he is losing Fraser Fyvie,” he said. ”But they are a Premier League team with a bigger squad than we have so they would have players who could cover his position. I have no one to come in for Leighton.”
Scotland’s youngsters play Slovenia on Wednesday, Wales on Friday and Belgium next Monday.
Meanwhile, Dundee also have Neil McGregor on the treatment table. Midfielder Steven Masterton, who played as a trialist for Montrose against Annan on Saturday, is still training at Dens.