Gabbidon on track for return to action

Hammers defender Danny Gabbidon makes his long-awaited return to training this week - almost two months to the day after picking up a particularly gruesome injury.

"I ripped the tendon off the bone in my groin," he revealed. "It was quite nasty and it's taken a while to heal. I couldn't really do anything. I couldn't really walk for the first couple of weeks. It was just a case of letting it heal on its own.

"I'm feeling more cheerful now as I'm looking forward to getting back in training. It has been tough. No one likes being injured, especially when the team's not doing well. It's hard when the team isn't picking up points because you just want to be out there every week.

"Any players that get injured when the team is winning are disappointed that they're not part of the winning team but they do feel happier knowing the team is winning. At the moment that's not happening and it has been frustrating coming to the games and watching.

"I'm not the best spectator anyway and we haven't been doing too well so it's been even more frustrating. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks I can get back to helping the team out."

Danny could also be in line for a return to action with his international team-mates soon - as Wales face crucial Euro 2008 qualifiers against the Republic of Ireland and San Marino next week - but insists that his priority is to pull on a claret and blue shirt again as soon as possible.

He said: "We've got internationals coming up in the next couple of weeks and I'd like to be involved in that but I don't want to say too much in case it doesn't happen because I'd be disappointed.

"I just want to get back to training as quickly as possible and then I'll see where I am. The main thing is that I get back playing in the Premiership as soon as I can, because I'm desperate to do whatever I can to help the team for the rest of the season."