Avram Grant's message upon arriving at the Boleyn Ground was that he was building not just for this season but for all the seasons to come.
The immediacy of the challenge facing the team in recent weeks has meant this long-term goal has perhaps been forgotten by some but Saturday saw firm evidence of the ultimate gameplan.
Hammers homegrown duo James Tomkins and Junior Stanislas were back in the side at a sold-out Boleyn Ground, while under 23-year-old's Victor Obinna, Winston Reid and Pablo Barrera were also heavily involved.
"We have a project and a vision here at West Ham. Even if some people are coming after me with a watch," Grant said reflecting on the youthful prompting behind the 3-1 win against Wigan Athletic - albeit with some older heads like Matthew Upson, Scott Parker and Frederic Piquionne playing their part.
"There are more young players behind the scenes. But you need to do it step by step. My vision at West Ham stays the same even if we are at the bottom of the league with not many points.
"You need to have a vision and our vision is to put this club in a good place. The young players here have the quality but they are young and need to learn. James and Junior are two of them but you will see more in the future.
"Our target at the end is to put West Ham in a good position with a good football style, with good young players. Part of this is also to build the coaching staff and from time to time we will add to the staff. This is the future of the game."
That strengthening on the coaching side includes Wally Downes, who had worked with Upson and Tomkins on Thursday and Friday in particular and has already proved a strong addition alongside the respected Paul Groves and Kevin Keen.
"He was good," said Grant, who was firmly of the belief that you need a combination of different approaches on the sidelines. "He asked me before the game if he could shout and say whatever he wants. He did well. He's very happy and energetic.
"If [Arsene] Wenger is quiet and they win, everybody says it's a good thing, so the main thing is the message needs to be clear. People have different ways of bringing the message.
"Wally has a specific job that he's committed to. He's doing it well."
Grant was also keen to acknowledge the part played by the supporters on Saturday, especially with Tuesday night's big Carling Cup tie to come against Manchester United. "The fans are great. They saw us give a poor performance last week after going a long way on a cold day. They are good.
"I am sure they will continue like this on Tuesday and will do everything to support us."