Brisbane Roar coach John Aloisi has rubbished suggestions his players are unhappy with the way off-contract striker Jamie Maclaren has been treated.
Maclaren has been benched for the Roar's last two A-League games and is no guarantee to return to their starting side for Saturday night's clash against the Western Sydney Wanderers at Suncorp Stadium.
The 23-year-old, who scored the winner against the Wellington Phoenix, trained away from the main group on Friday and sat out much of the session.
Aloisi denied there were any fitness concerns, saying Maclaren is being carefully managed to ensure he is fresh for a tough schedule of three games in seven days.
An SBS report last week quoted an anonymous Roar player as saying, Maclaren's teammates are confused over his absence from the team.
But Aloisi laughed off the claims, saying there were no issues in the dressing room.
"There's always going to be people making up stories," Aloisi told reporters.
"As a group, we can't allow what goes on on the outside to affect us.
"If there were disgruntled players then on the weekend ... a team that's disgruntled and not happy, they would have folded, after three losses as well.
"People can say what they want, this group's not disgruntled. If (players) didn't like it here, they wouldn't stay."
The Roar face Filipino side Global FC in an Asian Champions League qualifier on Tuesday and Sydney FC at home three days later.
Aloisi said Maclaren would take confidence from his goal against the Phoenix, his eighth in 15 appearances so far this season.
"We've got a hectic period coming up and he's fresh, he's ready to go, he never dropped his head once," he said.
Former Socceroo Brett Holman will make his return from nearly two months out due to knee surgery against the Wanderers, but is expected to come on as a substitute.
Defender Corey Brown is suspended, with utility Daniel Bowles expected to fill in for him at left-back.
The Wanderers, who scored just their third win of the season over the Newcastle Jets last week, can move into the top six if they can upset Brisbane.