Source: PA
Portugal break can boost Hammers survival drive
Matthew Upson hopes further bonding sessions during West Ham's training camp in Portugal this week will see them finally pull clear of the Barclays Premier League drop zone.
The Hammers hauled themselves out of the bottom three on Saturday, crushing Stoke 3-0 as they recorded back-to-back league wins for the first time in more than a year. It was also their third successive victory in all competitions, the first time they had managed that in more than two years.
The current run, which has seen them net a remarkable 11 goals, followed a day of go-karting and clay-pigeon shooting just over two weeks ago.
Monday sees the squad go on a three-day mid-season training camp in Portugal, the same place London rivals Fulham went last month. The Cottagers took part in activities such as golf and fishing while they were away, returning refreshed to draw at high-flying Manchester City and beat Blackburn.
And Upson believes his side could enjoy a similar benefit. He said: "It has a value, absolutely. There's a place for it. If you get the time and the right scenario and the right group and get it together, there's a definite advantage in doing that with the team."
He added: "I think we'll get some golf in, definitely. Everyone's been working hard and training hard for six, seven months now. So it's nice to get that mental relaxation as well as physical."
