Green's Vision

John Green says that medicals for potential signings at West Ham are taking longer these days - and welcomes the trend.

"I wouldn't say they are getting any more stringent, we are just being given a little more time," he says.

"It's all being done a little more professionally rather than having to hurry it through at the last minute.

"We are being told a lot more in advance even if it is not who the medical is for, for confidentiality reasons.

"Then we can prepare ourselves, and the thing is done with more professionalism and more accuracy in that way."

He says the pattern is set to continue and adds: "I know John McCarthy wants to introduce a fitness test into the medical and I do see the day coming when perhaps a player might not sign for West Ham because he is not fit enough.

"That would probably make newspaper headlines in the future.

"We know that clubs like the Chicago Bears American football team would have a player for six weeks if they are planning to sign them and will run the player through a whole battery of physiological and medical tests before they make the commitment to spend millions of pounds on them.

"Why is it right for them and not for us?"

John says West Ham are playing catch up with regards to match preparation and adds: "It's not just the physiology side, it's the sports psychology side as well; we need to look at that area and it is something Glenn is very keen to introduce.

"He wants to look at how we prepare our players and giving them some counselling at certain times, as well as goal setting and visualisation techniques.

"These are all things that are being done at other clubs and West Ham has unfortunately dropped behind in all these areas.

"Glenn is very much aware of that, and wants to bring us back up to date as quickly as possible.

"Psychology is a massive part of it; we look at it as a whole untapped resource, and we look at it as being relatively simple and cheap, but if it's done well and by the right people it could make a massive difference to some of our players."

* Our Worthington cup second round tie at Reading will be played on Tuesday, September 11, kick-off 7.45pm.

**  Former Australian defender Chris Coyne has joined Luton Town from Dundee.