Lucas Neill has pin-pointed the need for a quick start to the Premier League season if West Ham are to avoid the pitfalls that befell the club in their relegation-haunted campaign last season.
Alan Curbishley's side controversially avoided the drop on the last day of the season thanks to a Carlos Tevez-inspired win over champions Manchester United after a dreadful start.
And the full-back believes the London side, now owned by Icelandic businessman Eggert Magnusson, need to avoid the sluggish start that so nearly ended their status as a Premier League club last year.
"It's a long season," he said.
"I don't think we're going to be the champions but I think after the lessons we learned last year it's important we get off to a good start.
"We have a chairman who has a dream, is a very ambitious guy and has very powerful resources so, like a lot of clubs he'll be looking to spend some money in the transfer market and hopefully him and the manager can bring in good quality and we can look up rather than down."
Neill praised the work done by Curbishley, who took over from Alan Pardew and eventually guided the club to safety.
"He's done a good job," he said. "He won seven out of the last nine games and we have to see how cute he can be in the transfer market, bringing in good quality in the transfer market without having to spend too much money.
"But it's all about the boys. If we start right we make his job easier, if we don't straight away he's under pressure."
Before the Premier League season commences, Neill will play a key in role in attempting to guide Australia to success at the Asian Cup in south-east Asia next month.
The Socceroos make their first appearance in the continental championship after moving into the Asian confederation at the start of last year and go into the competition as one of the favourites to lift the trophy.
Neill, though, dismissed any suggestions Graham Arnold's team would have a comfortable ride as they go head-to-head with the best of Asian football, including defending champions Japan.
"I wouldn't say we're the favourites," he said. "I would say we're one of the stronger teams.
"Japan are obviously favourites because they're more experienced at this level and in this environment and we're coming here trying to challenge teams such as them.
"So we have to approach it with a different mentality but we've still got a lot to prove because we're the new kids on the block."
And the full-back believes the London side, now owned by Icelandic businessman Eggert Magnusson, need to avoid the sluggish start that so nearly ended their status as a Premier League club last year.
"It's a long season," he said.
"I don't think we're going to be the champions but I think after the lessons we learned last year it's important we get off to a good start.
"We have a chairman who has a dream, is a very ambitious guy and has very powerful resources so, like a lot of clubs he'll be looking to spend some money in the transfer market and hopefully him and the manager can bring in good quality and we can look up rather than down."
Neill praised the work done by Curbishley, who took over from Alan Pardew and eventually guided the club to safety.
"He's done a good job," he said. "He won seven out of the last nine games and we have to see how cute he can be in the transfer market, bringing in good quality in the transfer market without having to spend too much money.
"But it's all about the boys. If we start right we make his job easier, if we don't straight away he's under pressure."
Before the Premier League season commences, Neill will play a key in role in attempting to guide Australia to success at the Asian Cup in south-east Asia next month.
The Socceroos make their first appearance in the continental championship after moving into the Asian confederation at the start of last year and go into the competition as one of the favourites to lift the trophy.
Neill, though, dismissed any suggestions Graham Arnold's team would have a comfortable ride as they go head-to-head with the best of Asian football, including defending champions Japan.
"I wouldn't say we're the favourites," he said. "I would say we're one of the stronger teams.
"Japan are obviously favourites because they're more experienced at this level and in this environment and we're coming here trying to challenge teams such as them.
"So we have to approach it with a different mentality but we've still got a lot to prove because we're the new kids on the block."
Copyright (c) Press Association
Related Articles
Gallery: West Ham's 2017-18 away kit unveiled
Ange: Still a place for Lucas in Brazil
