YASER Kasim’s involvement in Iraq’s Asian Cup qualifier this week has left Swindon Town manager Mark Cooper having to prepare for two possible scenarios when MK Dons visit the County Ground on Saturday.

Kasim flew out to Dubai to join up with his international teammates yesterday. The Iraqi is scheduled to play on Wednesday evening before returning to the UK on Thursday morning and training with Town on Friday ahead of the clash with the Dons.

However, Cooper holds understandable concerns as to what state the former Tottenham midfielder will come back in – both mentally and physically – after his national summons. As a result he plans to prepare a matchday squad both with and without the 22-year-old for this week’s League One game.

“He has to fly to the Middle East and play on Wednesday night and then he has to fly back Thursday morning, he’ll join up with us again on Friday,” Cooper told the Advertiser. “We know it’s not ideal but we’ll see how he is on Friday, how he feels and if we have to rotate then we’ll have to rotate.”

“With the midfield players that we’ve got we’re pretty flexible.”