Steve Davis says he would welcome break for all after losing four players on International duty.

Steve Davis says he would welcome an International break over all four divisions after he prepares to travel to Barnsley this weekend without four members of his squad. Youngster Callum Saunders was the latest Crewe player to be called up for International duty with the Wales Under-21 squad and he will also miss this weekend’s trip to Oakwell, alongside his Welsh team-mate Harry Wilson.

The on-loan Stephen Kingsley has been called up for the Scotland Under-21 squad and Marcus Haber will now join up with the Canada squad after being given permission to face Wigan Athletic last night in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy.

Crewe cannot ask for the game to be postponed because emergency and youth loans are not included in the criteria and Davis admits that he makes him think twice about signing International players on loan because of the ruling.

Davis told the club’s official web-site: “We are without four of our squad for Saturday and we still cannot ask for the game to be postponed because certain loans do not count to the three you need.

“You sign players on loan to fill gaps in your squad and then you end up losing them anyway. What it means is that you have to think twice about signing potential young Internationals from the Premier League or Championship.

“I would welcome an International break like the Championship enjoy because more and more League One sides are being affected by it.

“We have lost two players who have played every week and two more who have been coming off the bench for us. “