SAINTS head coach Jan Poortvliet will adopt squad rotation tactics to cope with the biggest fixture pile-up to hit the club in years.

The Dutchman gave his players a few days off during the international break after admitting some were tired after playing six games in August.

Saints return to action following the two-week international break in a Sky-televised clash against QPR at Loftus Road on Sunday.

The trip to west London marks the start of a horrendous run of seven league and cup games in just 21 days for Poortvliet’s men.

That will be even more physically demanding than the six games in 22 days with which Saints opened the season.

After their short break Poortvliet’s squad resumed training this week.

And Poortvliet said: “They needed to rest because now we have seven games in a short space and they have to be ready.

“It’s tough but I am confident we can handle it because I know and see them in training.”

Over the next month, Poortvliet said he is likely to make more of the opportunity to rotate his players.

Saints went into the international break on the back of a dismal 1-0 home defeat to Blackpool.

That was something of a surprise result given that Poortvliet’s men had racked up two impressive wins earlier in the week at Derby in the league and Birmingham in the Carling Cup.

But six players – Lloyd James, Andrew Surman, Simon Gillett, Morgan Schneiderlin, Adam Lallana, Lee Holmes and David McGoldrick – started all three games that week.

And ten players have been Championship ever-presents for Saints so far this season, with Jake Thomson, Stern John and Jamie White sharing the role of 11th player in the four games so far.

So it was understandable that fatigue was offered as a possible reason for the display and result against Blackpool.

Poortvliet, though, has vowed to learn the lessons from the week leading up to the international break.

And over the next few weeks, more players are likely to be handed the opportunity to get some playing time.

Poortvliet said: “The Blackpool game gave me a little bit to think about and maybe we have to put some other players in.

“For some players, after two games in a row maybe it is too much to play a third game and makes recuperation a little bit difficult."

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