Exclusive – ‘The wife isn’t happy!’: Manager Ian Hendon on Leyton Orient owner forcing squad to stay in hotel for week

Leyton Orient manager Ian Hendon has told talkSPORT he and his team feel refreshed and eager to get back to winning ways after they were made to stay in a hotel for a week by club owner Francesco Becchetti.

The O’s have been confined to the Marriott Hotel in Waltham Abbey in a bizarre team building exercise after Sunday’s miserable 3-1 defeat away to Hartlepool left the team with just two wins in 12 League Two games.

The story led to a somewhat extreme reaction from the press, with talkSPORT’s Ian ‘The Moose’ Abrahams even insisting it’s a breach of the players’ human rights.

But Hendon was keen to play down the media furore, insisting the decision to stay in a hotel - where they will remain until Saturday’s clash with York City - was made for the good of the team.

He did admit, however, that the Italian owner may have his fiancée to answer to when the exile is over.

When asked about their week away from home, the O’s boss joked: “I’ve just dug my way out, it’s taken me three days!

“But on a serious note, the results haven’t been what they could - and should - have been.

“We got back on the bus after the defeat to Hartlepool and the owner called me and said he thought it would be a good idea to take the boys away for a few days, and it happened that night.

“Everyone thought we’d been taken away and we couldn’t see our families, but that wasn’t the case.

“It’s literally ten minutes from the training ground, it’s allowed us a bit more time on the pitches together. It's not an army camp; there’s a gym and swimming pool at the hotel, so it hasn’t been a punishment.

“We’ve just stayed in a lovely hotel for a week and the lads are fine, they’re happy. They haven’t been under lock and key, they’ve been able to go home and then come back so we can sit down and eat together.

“It’s the Italian culture more than anything else and I think the lads have embraced it. They’re happy, they’re smiling and we’re now concentrated and looking forward to the game on Saturday against York.”

Asked what the soon-to-be Mrs Hendon has made of it, the manager added: “She’s not happy! Obviously she wants me at home every night, but she understands…it’ll be fine.”

We hope, for your sake, that you’re right, Ian!