A number of West Ham United players are away on international duty ahead of important fixtures over the coming week.
While the likes of Danny Gabbidon, Radoslav Kovac, Valon Behrami, Kieron Dyer and Jack Collison work on their fitness at Chadwell Heath with the rest of the squad, some of Gianfranco Zola's men have been called away for internationals. Seven are on England duty at three different levels while CONCACAF qualification for the FIFA World Cup finals is occupying the minds of two club-mates.
Robert Green, Matthew Upson and Carlton Cole
Although Fabio Capello's men have already qualified for next summer's World Cup, all three Hammers will be hoping to cement their places in his England squad. Green has started the last five matches but will have to contend with David James for a starting berth this Saturday in Ukraine and next Wednesday at home to Belarus. Upson, on 17 caps, and Cole, on five, are also looking to take advantage of some key absentees.
James Tomkins, Junior Stanislas and Zavon Hines
Tomkins is the only West Ham survivor from the 2009 UEFA European U21 Championship campaign as Stuart Pearce's side look to the third game of the 2011 qualifying programme. With the visit of FYR Macedonia on Friday night, Stanislas could win his third cap at this level, while Hines is hoping to be in line for his debut. Club-mate Freddie Sears is out of the squad with an ankle problem.
Frank Nouble
Having been capped at U17 level, Nouble has travelled with the U19s to Slovenia for the first qualifying stage of the UEFA European U19 Championship. The Young Lions will play their first match against Finland in Murska Sobota on Friday. They then take on the mini-tournament hosts in the same stadium two days later before rounding out the group against Slovakia on Wednesday in Lendava.
Guille Franco
After arriving in Mexico on Tuesday, the newest member of the West Ham United squad will be carefully put through his paces. Franco has yet to make his Hammers debut and is not certain to figure this Saturday or next Wednesday at home against El Salvador and away to Trinidad and Tobago respectively. One win from either game will send Mexico to the World Cup finals.
Jonathan Spector
A victory away to Honduras on Saturday will be enough to send Spector and the United States through to next summer's showpiece in South Africa - with the safety net of the visit of Costa Rica to Washington DC to come on Wednesday should it be needed. Spector has won 20 caps already at the age of just 23, having helped the US to the FIFA Confederations Cup final back in the summer.
Holmar Orn Eyjolfsson
After an impressive debut for loan club Cheltenham Town last weekend, the highly-rated Icelandic Under-21 international has linked up with his country for the 2011 UEFA European U21 Championship qualifiers at home against San Marino and Northern Ireland on Friday and Tuesday respectively. He played in a 6-2 win away to the Northern Irish last month.