Source: Daily_Mail
West Ham squad heap abuse on Robert Green ahead of expected World Cup backlash
West Ham's players and coaching staff have been hurling abuse at Robert Green in a bid to prepare him for the World Cup backlash expected from crowds this season. [LNB]The goalkeeper was subjected to prolonged booing during a friendly match at Ipswich on Saturday, a reaction to his howler in England's 1-1 draw against the USA, when his handling error gifted Clint Dempsey an equaliser. [LNB] World Cup howler: Green was dropped after he gifted the United States a goal [LNB]Fabio Capello did not pick Green for the rest of the tournament and, although West Ham insist that their goalkeeper is not haunted by the incident, they do not want the inevitable terrace taunts to distract him when the Premier League season begins on Saturday week. [LNB]The Hammers are at Aston Villa on the opening day and Green will increase his normal concentration exercises with his team-mates encouraged to hurl insults at him as he trains.[LNB]Be prepared: Green is expecting a backlash this season [LNB] England players have often been targeted following failures in the past. David Beckham, Phil Nevi lle and Frank Lampard have all come in for abuse after England have crashed out of major championships in the past 12 years. [LNB]Goalkeepers regularly practice for penalty shootouts with their fellow stoppers stood behind the net shouting insults and Green will adopt a similar strategy with new keeping coach David Coles, who has joined from Portsmouth. [LNB]Green, 30, is a devotee of sports psychology as a way of improving his powers of concentration. [LNB]After his mistake against the USA he regained his composure to make a good save in the second half and then stood before the media to field questions, accepting responsibility for the lost points. [LNB]TRAINING TRAUMAS Baseball stars Moises Alou and Jorge Posada urinate on the palms of their hands throughout the season to harden their grip and prevent calluses. Drinking a pint of cow's blood was the done thing for boxers in the Fifties and Sixties, supposedly for vitamin fortification during heavy training. Sugar Ray Robinson called it his 'secret weapon'.Days before this year's World Cup, Portugal joined the country's Air Force for a paintball session designed to improve spirit, discipline, cohesion and loyalty.Tal Ben Haim completed his loan move from Portsmouth to West Ham yesterday. The defender, on loan until January, is the fourth signing made by manager Avram Grant. [LNB]Meanwhile, the Premier League is planning a revolution in the academy system in an attempt to bring the success of British cycling and swimming to the England football team. [LNB]The strategy is based around grading academies with stars depending on various factors, including how long young players spent with qualified coaches. [LNB]The golden figure is considered to be 10,000 hours of training, widely accepted as the key to producing an elite athlete in any given discipline, but a young English footballer only receives an average of 2,500. Young Dutch footballers are closer to 6,000.[LNB] Ged Roddy, the Premier League's youth director, who has studied Britain's cyclists and swimmers, wants to treble the time clubs spend coaching their nine to 16-year-old players from five hours a week to 15. [LNB] West Ham keeper Green given rough ride in friendly at IpswichGrant clinches Ben Haim loan reunion as Hammers boss raids PortsmouthIpswich 0 West Ham 1: Dyer hails medics after latest injury comeback WEST HAM UNITED FC
