SWINDON TOWN’S two best players Massimo Luongo (Australia) and Yaser Kasim (Iraq) have made eye-catching contributions at the Asian Cup – as we all thought they would, writes Danny Hall.

Massimo may yet return with a winner’s medal after his latest man-of-the-match display helped steer the Australians into the Saturday final against South Korea with a 2-0 victory over the United Arab Emirates.

Yaser will have to settle for Friday’s third-place play-off match with UAE after sitting out Iraq’s semi final defeat by South Korea through suspension.

The vultures are gathering – Championship (Wolves and Brentford allegedly) and foreign clubs (Sevilla for one) trying to steal the pair away from Swindon Town.

And both Mass and Yas should have returned to the club before the dreaded transfer window closes on Monday night.

Given that UK Visas and Immigration have turned British speedway on its head by revoking the visas of non-EU nationals like Swindon Robins’ Aussie captain Troy Batchelor – even though he lives for the bulk of the year with his British girlfriend in Cambridge – perhaps we should set a rumour circulating among our players’ suitors that the UKVI are about to turn their attentions on the Football League.

The Football League may have more bargaining chips than little old speedway, however.

Whatever happens neither will be back in time for the Sheffield United match on Saturday and with Ben Gladwin having gone under the knife this week due to a knee problem, our midfield options remain slim. But we have just one more game to get through until the big guns return from the other side of the world – and we are still top of the league.

The Swindon squad has now returned from their last-minute break to Tenerife which was organised when scheduled opponents Bradford had bigger fish to fry – an FA Cup tie at Chelsea.

Given that they pulled off the shock of the round, maybe it’s just as well a weakened Swindon did not play them.

Hopefully Sheffield United will be so exhausted by their own high-level exertions in January that they will not provide us with such stiff opposition.

Their schedule has taken in games with QPR (W), Preston (W), MK Dons (L), Tottenham (L), Preston (D) and tonight's League Cup second leg with Spurs.

Finally it is good news that Southampton have agreed to leave their young centre back Jack Stephens with Swindon until the end of the season.

Stephens showed exceptional talent when on loan at the end of last term, but was a little slow to come up to speed this campaign. Now, however, he is back to his considerable best.