Alex Song has clear targets for the season ahead after joining West Ham United on a second season-long loan deal from Barcelona
Alex Song may only have been away from West Ham United for a little over three months before sealing a second loan move from Barcelona this week – but already so much has changed at the Club.
Song is one of eleven players added to the Hammers’ squad this summer by a new boss in the shape of Slaven Bilic.
For Song, he views a second season as a Hammer as a fantastic opportunity to build on the good work of the first half of last year.
“Last season we started very well, then the second part of the season we didn’t do as well as we wanted,” he explained.
“It’s a new season now and a new start. We’ve got some new players, a new manager and everything is changing. The ambition the Club has is to finish better than we did last year.
“It’s not easy because when you have new players coming in they have to settle, but the people who are here help do that. That’s what happened for me last season and when I’ve watched them this year, they’re doing very well.
“We have to do well this season to keep growing and it’s very important for the Club to make the fans happy by finishing better than last season.”
Song is one of eleven players added to the Hammers’ squad this summer by a new boss in the shape of Slaven Bilic.
For Song, he views a second season as a Hammer as a fantastic opportunity to build on the good work of the first half of last year.
“Last season we started very well, then the second part of the season we didn’t do as well as we wanted,” he explained.
“It’s a new season now and a new start. We’ve got some new players, a new manager and everything is changing. The ambition the Club has is to finish better than we did last year.
“It’s not easy because when you have new players coming in they have to settle, but the people who are here help do that. That’s what happened for me last season and when I’ve watched them this year, they’re doing very well.
“We have to do well this season to keep growing and it’s very important for the Club to make the fans happy by finishing better than last season.”
We’ve got some new players, a new manager and everything is changing. The ambition the Club has is to finish better than we did last year
There might be a different face in the manager’s seat this year, but Song said he needed little persuading by Bilic to return to E13.
He continued: “When I spoke to the manager we had a very good chat. What he wants is someone who loves playing football. He’s played for West Ham, he’s managed in Croatia, Russia and Turkey and he’s a very good manager.
“For me it was very easy when I spoke to him because it’s important for me to go somewhere that the manager really wants you.
“When you have someone like that you always want to give your best. It was the same last year with Sam – he really wanted me – and so did the new manager. I said to him straight away that I would play for him and do everything to come here.”
Song has already witnessed the Hammers defeat Arsenal and Liverpool this year and cannot wait to contribute to more memorable matches in this Farewell Boleyn campaign.
He concluded: “The first game against Arsenal was unbelievable – a really good result – and I saw that last week against Liverpool again. It makes the fans feel very happy. We’ve got to keep that going now.
“The squad has taken another step forward this year. We just have to improve game-by-game and then we’ll see what happens at the end of the season.”
He continued: “When I spoke to the manager we had a very good chat. What he wants is someone who loves playing football. He’s played for West Ham, he’s managed in Croatia, Russia and Turkey and he’s a very good manager.
“For me it was very easy when I spoke to him because it’s important for me to go somewhere that the manager really wants you.
“When you have someone like that you always want to give your best. It was the same last year with Sam – he really wanted me – and so did the new manager. I said to him straight away that I would play for him and do everything to come here.”
Song has already witnessed the Hammers defeat Arsenal and Liverpool this year and cannot wait to contribute to more memorable matches in this Farewell Boleyn campaign.
He concluded: “The first game against Arsenal was unbelievable – a really good result – and I saw that last week against Liverpool again. It makes the fans feel very happy. We’ve got to keep that going now.
“The squad has taken another step forward this year. We just have to improve game-by-game and then we’ll see what happens at the end of the season.”