For that, the players were grateful, as the boys underwent a series of tests at the Chadwell Heath training ground which is changing shape rapidly because of the rebuilding work going on there.
Absentees - with Glenn Roeder's blessing, of course - included Raimond van der Gouw, who recently signed for West Ham, David James, Trevor Sinclair, Joe Cole, and Paolo Di Canio.
Glenn explains:
"The situation is that the three World Cup players are on holiday, and rightly so.
"They are going to have a full three weeks of break, which is a couple of weeks less than they would normally have had.
"I spoke to all three players, and they all felt it is all they need.
"They will join up with us in Portugal at the end of next week, and we are looking forward to seeing them.
"As for Paolo, if he coughs people say there is something sinister in it; it is ridiculous.
"We've allowed him 15 more days at the rehabilitation centre in Bologna where he has been treated for the last two months.
"When we return from there, Paolo will have returned to England fully fit as far as we are concerned.
"I have kept in contact with Paolo over the summer and he assures me that when he comes back to Chadwell Heath he will be ready to come back to training.
"He has been working hard over the summer."
The warm weather training in Portugal is a departure from the usual preseason routine, and, although there will be no game out there, one more match - against European opposition - will be arranged in addition to the fixtures already published.