Nigel Reo-Coker insists that there has been no FA Cup final
hangover among the players following their return to pre-season
training this week.
Alan Pardew's squad gathered together on Monday for the first time since our unforgettable encounter against Liverpool at the Millennium Stadium two months ago, and the Hammers captain says the spirit and forward-thinking attitude in the camp is stronger than ever.
"We've had a nice break after a fantastic season last year," says Nigel, "but all that is behind us now and the lads are just looking forward to the new campaign.
"It was a well-deserved rest for us this year. The players who have been here for a few years have had short summers because of the play-off finals or starting the season earlier, and so the break this time has allowed us to have a good rest and the lads have all come back feeling rejuvenated.
"There's no hangover from the cup final. It was a terrific day and will go down in history as one of the greatest ever cup finals. We gave it our all - as a team and a squad I don't think we could have given it any more - but as I said, it's behind us now and the only thing that matters is next season.
"The fact that we almost beat Liverpool in a major cup final doesn't really play on my mind. I always knew we were capable of mixing it with the best, ever since we won promotion to the Premiership, and that performance was no surprise to me.
"The one thing from it that we can take forward, though, is the spirit among the players and the fans that day. The atmosphere was something special and it has made us all the more determined to make sure we achieve more success next year."
For Nigel himself, that ambition will surely stretch to international progress. The England under-21 captain was called up by Sven-Goran Eriksson at the end of last season on standby for the World Cup finals, and spent a week in Portugal training with the senior squad before a niggling back injury forced him to return home.
The 22-year-old has been tipped to make his breakthrough under new coach Steve McClaren as England begin their Euro 2008 qualifying campaign in the coming months, but for now he is philosophical about his experiences so far and hopes for the future.
"Things happen for a reason and obviously it just wasn't my time with England at the end of the season," he says. "I was absolutely gutted to have to pull out through injury, but I can't let it be a setback in my life, I've just got to move on and keep working hard in the hope that my chance will come again soon.
"Right now, I'm just focusing on getting back to full fitness after my back injury, and looking forward to training with the lads again. I'll be ready for the start of the season and that's all I'm thinking about.
"I'm just going to concentrate in the same way I did last season. It's all about West Ham United, and anything else is a bonus."
Alan Pardew's squad gathered together on Monday for the first time since our unforgettable encounter against Liverpool at the Millennium Stadium two months ago, and the Hammers captain says the spirit and forward-thinking attitude in the camp is stronger than ever.
"We've had a nice break after a fantastic season last year," says Nigel, "but all that is behind us now and the lads are just looking forward to the new campaign.
"It was a well-deserved rest for us this year. The players who have been here for a few years have had short summers because of the play-off finals or starting the season earlier, and so the break this time has allowed us to have a good rest and the lads have all come back feeling rejuvenated.
"There's no hangover from the cup final. It was a terrific day and will go down in history as one of the greatest ever cup finals. We gave it our all - as a team and a squad I don't think we could have given it any more - but as I said, it's behind us now and the only thing that matters is next season.
"The fact that we almost beat Liverpool in a major cup final doesn't really play on my mind. I always knew we were capable of mixing it with the best, ever since we won promotion to the Premiership, and that performance was no surprise to me.
"The one thing from it that we can take forward, though, is the spirit among the players and the fans that day. The atmosphere was something special and it has made us all the more determined to make sure we achieve more success next year."
For Nigel himself, that ambition will surely stretch to international progress. The England under-21 captain was called up by Sven-Goran Eriksson at the end of last season on standby for the World Cup finals, and spent a week in Portugal training with the senior squad before a niggling back injury forced him to return home.
The 22-year-old has been tipped to make his breakthrough under new coach Steve McClaren as England begin their Euro 2008 qualifying campaign in the coming months, but for now he is philosophical about his experiences so far and hopes for the future.
"Things happen for a reason and obviously it just wasn't my time with England at the end of the season," he says. "I was absolutely gutted to have to pull out through injury, but I can't let it be a setback in my life, I've just got to move on and keep working hard in the hope that my chance will come again soon.
"Right now, I'm just focusing on getting back to full fitness after my back injury, and looking forward to training with the lads again. I'll be ready for the start of the season and that's all I'm thinking about.
"I'm just going to concentrate in the same way I did last season. It's all about West Ham United, and anything else is a bonus."