DES Buckingham will give what’s left of his depleted Oxford United squad some deserved time off to recharge their batteries ahead of a gruelling period in the season.

The U’s have a number of players on international duty, and when combined with those working their way back from injury, it leaves a threadbare squad for Buckingham to work with during the November international window.

With that in mind, United’s players will be afforded some time away from the training ground.

The U’s return to action on November 23 with the visit of Middlesbrough, and then face a lengthy run before the March international break.

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United head coach Buckingham said: “I think we’ve got seven that will go on international duty, so that’s probably half of our group left.

“We’ll try and factor some days off in somewhere. The ones that are here will have a mix, as they have done in the last two windows.

“We’ll have them in, and there’ll be an element of training.

"There’s only so much you can do with the group, but they will also get some days off because it will be the last opportunity we get.

“As crazy as this season has been, this being the third window already, but there’s not another one until March.

“There are 23 games between when they come back and when the next one will be, so it’s the last opportunity to refresh, replenish, and come back, and get ready to hit a very busy, but exciting November and December schedule, leading through then until March.”

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He added: “We will welcome players back after the international break, so it comes at a really good time for us to be able to replenish because it’s not just the players we have missing at the moment, it’s those players that are being asked to play again, again and again.

“We already know the physical demands of this league, so to be able to ask them to not just play, but to perform consistently to those measures is very difficult, especially when they’re not used to it.

“It’s been a big jump for everybody. We’ve done as much as we can in the pre-season and in the season to prepare everybody for what’s to come, but when you’re having to back up a little bit more than you would’ve liked, it becomes a little bit more challenging.

“The break probably comes at a very good time for us, where it probably gives the players that have really been giving it some a bit of a break, and it gives us an opportunity possibly to welcome two or three players back after the break as well.”