West Ham defender Upson backs Wenger's methods

The West Ham defender is set to return to his former club today, with the Gunners in a much more testing period than when he left in January 2003 to get first-team football with Birmingham.

However, Upson - who has won his place back in the England squad with some impressive displays for the Hammers - firmly believes the French coach's policy of promoting youngsters remains sound.

"Wenger's recruitment of young players is second to none. He is the master of it," said Upson.

"He has brought a lot of young players into the team from all over and they have become top players.

"That is such a great thing for a football club because they don't have to splash out on a player and then they can get them for next to nothing, so it's very impressive."

Upson, 29, arrived at Arsenal from Luton in 1997 but suffered injury setbacks, including a broken leg in 2002, although he had made enough appearances to earn a league winners' medal.

However, with the likes of Sol Campbell and Kolo Toure then ahead of him, Upson chose to move on rather than continue to wait in line for a first-team shot.

It was, though, time well spent.

"You learn every day from all the players and the training," he said.

"There were so many good habits I picked up and took them into the rest of my career."

Wenger remains a big fan of Upson, and has even been linked with a move for the powerful centre-half during the transfer window.

The Arsenal manager said: "I did not like him to go but he was at a stage where he wanted to play at that time."

Upson, however, maintains he is more than happy at Upton Park.

"The club pointed out their intentions at the start of the transfer window and, to be fair to them, they have pretty much stuck to that, which is impressive," he said.

"It shows that there is an intention for success at West Ham and, as long as there is that here, I am enjoying myself like all the other players are, and the manager is too."