Internationals take centre stage

A number of West Ham United players could be in international action this week.

Pablo Barrera, Jack Collison and Marek Stech have all been called-up by their respective nations, while Robert Green and Scott Parker are in the squad for England's home friendly with Netherlands.

Barrera will join-up with Mexico for their friendly meeting with United States in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Wednesday 10 August.

Collison has been included in the Wales squad for an international friendly with Australia at the home of weekend visitors Cardiff City, while Stech is hoping to be included in Czech Republic's UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifier against Andorra on the same evening.

Meanwhile, Green and Parker have been named by Fabio Capello for Wednesday's meeting with the Dutch at Wembley. It promises to be a high-profile fixture, given that the visitors finished runners-up in the last FIFA World Cup.

Young centre-back Leo Chambers has also continued his good progress with the U18s by being named in the England U17 squad for a three-game FA International Tournament. The Young Lions will take on Italy on 24 August at Cambridge United, Czech Republic on 26 August at Bishop's Stortford and Portugal at Northampton Town on Sunday 28 August.

Finally, first-year professional Eoin Wearen helped Republic of Ireland to reach the semi-finals of the UEFA European Under-19 Championship in Romania.

Wearen made two substitute appearances as the Irish reached the last-four before being eliminated by eventual winners Spain.