Manchester Untied manager Sir Alex Ferguson will be sweating over the fitness of nearly 20 Red Devils on international duty over the weekend, as they help their countries to the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

To be precise, 17 United stars will be traveling the globe and with Blackburn Rovers in the Premiership just days after international week, Sir Alex Ferguson could face a tough team selection ahead.

"I've got almost 20 players away on international duty and you just have to hope that they come back without any injuries," said Fergie "It's something you have to accept. It's international fortnight and they are important qualifying games. I have to accept that"

"I have always said that the qualifying matches are the important ones. The part I can't get around are the friendly games, and I never will"

"I won't ever understand them because I don't think you get anything out of them"

Ferguson also quipped: "I've told some of the staff to have a few days off during the international break - we can let Scholesy take training himself !!!"

Gabriel Heinze faces a particularly daunting, jet-lag ridden few days as he and his Argentina side travel to Bolivia.