While Mark Noble, Nigel Reo-Coker and Anton Ferdinand
prepare for their European Under-21 Championship semi-final against
Holland this evening, another young Hammer is also looking forward
to competing in the last four of a major international tournament
with his country.
USA defender Jonathan Spector is currently back in his homeland participating in the CONCACAF Gold Cup and, having helped his fellow countrymen to progress from the group stages before beating Panama in the quarter-finals on Saturday, the 21-year-old is now hoping to go one better as the USA take on Canada in his home-town of Chicago tomorrow.
Victory against their rivals will secure the hosts a place in the final against either Mexico or Guadeloupe on Sunday (June 24), also in Chicago.
It certainly looks like being a busy summer for Jonathan, who won't be heading off for a holiday once the Gold Cup is over - the USA are also taking part in the Copa America tournament that kicks off in Venezuela next week.
Indeed, if they are successful in reaching Sunday's final, the USA will then face Carlos Tevez's Argentina just four days later in their opening group game of the tournament, the final of which takes place on July 15 - one day after Hammers kick off their pre-season preparations against Dagenham and Redbridge!
USA defender Jonathan Spector is currently back in his homeland participating in the CONCACAF Gold Cup and, having helped his fellow countrymen to progress from the group stages before beating Panama in the quarter-finals on Saturday, the 21-year-old is now hoping to go one better as the USA take on Canada in his home-town of Chicago tomorrow.
Victory against their rivals will secure the hosts a place in the final against either Mexico or Guadeloupe on Sunday (June 24), also in Chicago.
It certainly looks like being a busy summer for Jonathan, who won't be heading off for a holiday once the Gold Cup is over - the USA are also taking part in the Copa America tournament that kicks off in Venezuela next week.
Indeed, if they are successful in reaching Sunday's final, the USA will then face Carlos Tevez's Argentina just four days later in their opening group game of the tournament, the final of which takes place on July 15 - one day after Hammers kick off their pre-season preparations against Dagenham and Redbridge!