Dave Jones has approached Scotland and Wales without luck

Cardiff City boss Dave Jones is angry at being forced to play a Carling Cup game on 11 August during an international window.

Jones says he failed to have the tie against Burton Albion postponed despite the prospect of being without a keeper.

A transfer embargo means on-loan keeper Tom Heaton cannot fill in for Scotland's David Marshall.

Jones said: "At the moment I've got four internationals away and I won't have a goal-keeper."

The Bluebirds boss contends he is caught between being forced to release players for international duty and fielding a strong team in a competitive fixture while unable to recruit new blood during on-going financial problems.

In addition to Heaton - recruited from Manchester United - Jones cannot select his midfielder club-mate Daniel Drinkwater, who is also on-loan.

The clubs that get punished are the clubs that get more internationals than others Dave Jones

He says an approach to Scotland to release Marshall have been rebuffed, as has a bid to hold on to Wales players.

"I asked Craig [Levein] if he could let the Scottish players off and they said no because he's struggling.

"I've asked the Welsh and they've said no so I can't do it so we might have eight players out on the pitch.

"It's never a boring time here. The chairmen have decided that you can't cancel the first league cup game. Why?

"We've got all the internationals away - what do they want us to do?

"They're asking everybody to cut the squads, to run within the budgets and then they tell you not to call games off if you're internationals are away.

"The clubs that get punished are the clubs that get more internationals than others.

"It's stupid, but then listen - we're never asked so we just get on with our jobs.

"We've tried to get the tie with Burton Albion called off, but it says in the rules we can't, but we're trying.

"What would they rather have us do? Put out a team of kids; put out all the apprentices or see fans pay good money to come and see the team play?

If you don't play your best team in the competitions, further down the line you get told off for it."

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