Perth Glory coach Dave Mitchell is hoping Football Federation Australia (FFA) will come to the party and offer some assistance if the club loses its three Socceroos players during the January transfer window.
The Glory stand to lose marquee man Mile Sterjovski, Jacob Burns and Chris Coyne during January as all three national representatives may need to be loaned overseas in order to play competitively until May, putting themselves in contention for Australia's World Cup squad.
Although all three are attempting to organise loans during March after the A-League finals series is completed, this is impossible for most European and Asian clubs.
Mitchell is well aware the trio's presence could be vital to the club qualifying and competing in its first A-League finals series, the coach saying moves were already afoot to line up replacements.
But Mitchell is hopeful FFA may bend its rules regarding marquee players as all clubs are only allowed one marquee whose salary falls outside the salary cap.
"That's one of those quirky rules that we've got to look at," Mitchell said on Wednesday.
"You're only allowed one marquee player but under the circumstances that we've got and Mile does leave, then we'd like to bring someone of the same quality in."
"That's something from the FFA we'll have to clarify if Mile does go, that we can replace him and I'm pretty sure because it's benefitting the national team, benefitting the national game, I think that's a rule that if it is a problem, will be overlooked," he said.
Mitchell is well aware losing the trio will hit his squad hard, but said the Glory was determined to give them the chance to press for national selection.
"If it's the situation where they think that with selection, there's a good chance for them and it will hinder them if they stay, then as (club owner) Tony (Sage) said, we would like to back them in."
"(But) in that case we've got to make sure that we get other quality players in if they do go."
Mitchell said if the club made the finals it was unlikely he would try to source players from rival A-League clubs that missed the play-offs.
Instead, Mitchell said he would most likely look to Europe or Asia for players to come in on short-term loans.
He also said there had been no communication as yet with either Melbourne Victory or Adelaide United regarding loaning his three Socceroos to those teams as they are playing in the Asian Champions League which runs after the A-League finals are over.
The possibility of the three players leaving the side has overshadowed Sterjovski's recall to the Socceroos squad after not having played in the Australian side since its successful World Cup qualifying campaign last June.
Sterjovski has been selected in coach Pim Verbeek's 23-man squad to play Oman in a crucial Asian Cup qualifier played in Muscat, but neither Burns or Coyne were included.
"It's nice to be back in the squad," he said on Wednesday.
"I would have liked to be in the squad together with Jacob Burns and Chris Coyne but unfortunately that didn't happen this time but I'm sure they can come back into the squad in the future."
Sterjovski said it's been a difficult time trying to organise the loan in March but said he's determined to focus on playing football for the Glory in the meantime.
He also said a recurring ankle injury which he hurt once more in training on Wednesday and which forced him to miss the Socceroos' recent game against Oman in Melbourne, shouldn't keep him from playing for Australia this time around.