Albion manager Mark McGhee has warned defender Dan Harding not to play for England under-21s in Poland tonight unless he is fully fit.

McGhee is anxious to have Harding available for Saturday's Coca-Cola Championship fixture against Watford at Vicarage Road and does not want the defender putting country before club with his Seagulls squad already stretched by injuries.

Harding was sidelined with a hamstring injury when England beat Austria last Friday in their opening European Championship qualifier.

McGhee said: "It is touch and go whether he will be available for England.

"Bob (Booker, McGhee's assistant) has spoken to Dan and Dan said he was hoping to play.

"There is no way we can tolerate him playing and not being able to play for us on Saturday. If he plays he must be fit to play for us. If he is not going to be, then he can't play.

"We have a good relationship with Peter Taylor (the former Albion manager in charge of England).

"Peter is sensible but it is the player himself I'm concerned about.

"The player wants to play and Dan might be saying to Peter that he is a little better than he really is so he can play.

"Dan's just got to cool it."

Meanwhile, injury-plagued midfielder Simon Rodger has suffered a setback.

He was due to return tonight for his first match in a year after knee ligament trouble.

However, Rodger has now picked up a calf injury and is ruled him out of the reserves' Combination match against Crawley at Worthing's Woodside Road.

Rodger said: "It's frustrating and disappointing. I've been waiting a long time. I felt strong running in training on Friday but I must have done too much and I felt the calf on Saturday morning.

"But I'm not too worried. Danny Cullip (Albion captain) told me that from his experience you're always likely to pick up little niggles after being out for a while. It is already responding to treatment."

Rodger, 32, has now set his sights on playing for the reserves in a friendly against Leyton Orient at Brisbane Road in eight days time.

He said: "I hope to be training by the end of next week and should be okay to play against Orient."

Charlie Oatway will make his comeback tonight.

The combative midfielder has not played since injuring a hamstring at Reading on the opening day of the season.

Chris McPhee, Richard Carpenter and Paul Reid also continue their comebacks from injury tonight.

McGhee said: "Charlie will play for maybe an hour and Chris, Chippy (Carpenter) and Reidy are likely to play full games. They've got to get matches under their belts "We want to get them all back involved, even if it is only on the bench, as quickly as possible. I hope they will all be available for Watford."