SUNDERLAND are embroiled in a club-versus-country row which looks certain to end in two of their most influential players being unavailable for this Saturday's visit of West Ham.

The Trinidad & Tobago Football Federation confirmed that they have contacted FIFA with the intention of invoking the five-day rule following the withdrawals of Kenwyne Jones and Carlos Edwards.

Both had been included in the Trinidad squad for the friendly with Caribbean rivals Jamaica, but were pulled out by Roy Keane.

Sunderland, aware of the situation, have since been in touch with the federation in the hope a quick solution to the problem can be found.

The FIFA ruling bars players from playing or training for the five days following the fixture they were called up for, meaning that if found guilty both Edwards and Jones could not play the Hammers.

Edwards' situation has angered Trinidad the most, give how the right-midfielder withdrew with a groin problem suffered at Aston Villa on Saturday.

They claim to have initially asked for an MRI scan of the injury, only to be told by Sunderland that it is unlikely something would show up.

Jones, on the other hand, did miss Saturday's trip to Villa Park with a virus and the T&TFF are more understanding of that situation.

However, they still feel harshly done by and they are keen to ensure such a situation does not crop up in the future and want FIFA to enforce the strict rule.

"It is right that the decision from the management team has been taken to take this action,"

said the federation's press officer, Shaun Fuentes, speaking from Kingston.

"It was taken after it appeared that Sunderland were unwilling to co-operate and we were left with little choice. The reaction to this has been that Sunderland are now making efforts to co-operate and we are waiting for a scan for Carlos.

"Why they couldn't just do that in the first place I don't know.

Kenwyne's situation is different, there are no scans."

Both Jones and Edwards are also key members of the Trinidad squad and it is for that reason the T&TFF know that reaching an agreement would suit both parties.

However, given how it is too late for either player to play in Kingston today, a suitable scan for Edwards would appear to be the only way to reach a compromise.

Fuentes said: "Sunderland are in touch with the management and the issue could be resolved.

But that is not going to be an easy thing to do. It is possible.

"Both our federation and Sunderland have to look at the long road. Both sides will want to ensure that there remains a relationship, so it is possible that something can be done in the next few days to solve the problem.

"But Francisco Maturana Trinidad coach is understandably not very happy with having two important players unavailable for such an important friendly against Jamaica, one of our neighbours. Hopefully there can be a resolution but it is an issue we feel strongly about."

There has been no comment from Sunderland.

Keane, meanwhile, is looking for Sunderland to build on the form which brought three points at Villa against West Ham, with Edwards and Jones key to his plans.

Goalkeeper Craig Gordon is another integral to the Sunderland way, but the £9m man's own international appearance this week has not encountered the same problem.

Gordon met up with Scotland manager George Burley this week, ahead of the first friendly under the new boss at home to England's conquerors Croatia tonight.

The Sunderland No 1 worked under Burley at the start of the 2005-06 season, when Hearts opened with eight straight victories in the Scottish Premier League - only for Burley to leave following a dispute with the club's Lithuanian owner.

Gordon is relishing the chance to work under him again. "We met up with him as a squad last month and we discussed how we can move forward ahead of the next campaign," said Gordon.

"I knew George and I pretty much knew what his training would be like. At Hearts there are a lot of things that have gone on, but he did do a great job.

"He was going to take the club forward and we still managed to get that second Champions League spot but fans will always wonder what might have been.

"He has always done well wherever he has been with little money. But he has always managed to get the best out of his players. That's a good trait to have for an international manager."