It has been almost a year since Slaven Bilic made an emotional return to West Ham United as manager, but he has cherished every moment in a memorable final season at the Boleyn Ground.
The Hammers secured seventh place, which was their highest top flight finish since 2002 and broke a number of records in the process - scoring the most goals, accumulating the highest number of points in the Premier League and the best top-flight goal difference since 1986.
Bilic created a team spirit which saw him get the best out of his players and his passion and commitment throughout the campaign saw him become an even bigger hero with the West Ham supporters.
With the players now jetting off on their summer holidays, Bilic is now preparing for life in the new Stadium and he is determined to see his team grow even stronger...
So Slaven, how would you sum up the 2015/16 season for West Ham United?
SB: "I believe this been has been a terrific season for us at West Ham. We have already begun the planning to try and make next season even better but now hopefully everyone – the players, the staff and the board – will be able to take some holiday and be fresh when we return.
"My staff and I enjoyed our first season with West Ham very much. I am not someone who looks at statistics too much but someone pointed out that we were never out of the top ten in the Premier League and that is pretty good.
"We were fighting basically until the very end, even theoretically for the Champions League qualification.
"We played some good football, we broke some records at the club and if you add a good run in the FA Cup, it adds up to a very good season for us."
What was the best moment of the season, in your opinion?
SB: "We played many good games and there were a lot of really good moments. Going right back to the start, the opening day victory over Arsenal was one; the win in style at Liverpool after more than 50 years was another; then of course my first home win against Newcastle was memorable.
"There are other candidates though – the home win against both Chelsea and Spurs, our victory at Everton; the FA Cup win over Liverpool with that last minute goal.
"The biggest moment, if I have to choose just one, has to be last week’s win over Manchester United. That was more than a game, it was more than fighting for European qualification. It was the last game at the Boleyn Ground and we just wanted to win it. To do it in the way we did, with a lot of energy and to be up, down and then up again – that is definitely the one for me."
And the worst moment?
SB: "There haven’t been many which is good. First of all I would say the couple of early home defeats, against Leicester and especially Bournemouth. Sunday’s last game defeat at Stoke was frustrating because we played well but the ball just didn’t want to go in.
"Maybe the lowest point was the replay of the FA Cup at home to Manchester United because our plan was to win the competition if we could."
Who were West Ham's toughest opponent?
SB: "I can’t pick one out because when we were in the red zone, we could cope with anyone and any team. I didn’t see any team that I would say 'If we could nick a point today it would be brilliant'.
"When you drop off just a little though, when you are not crazy to win, you can easily come unstuck – as we did against Bournemouth at home, Watford and Spurs away plus the FA Cup match against Manchester United. When we are good though, we are very good."
Do you have any regrets?
SB: "No none. We gave everything, we worked 24/7. Of course, after every game you don’t win, you wonder if you could have done anything differently but that happens to everyone."
Has anything surprised you this season on your return to West Ham and English football?
SB: "It did help me that I had been here before, as a player, so it was more like coming back to the place where you were.
"Even so though, the intensity of this league is always a surprise when you arrive. You are not playing all the time but it feels like that. Even that is not negative though. My staff and I spoke about this a lot during the season. We enjoyed it very much."
Of your impressive squad, who has improved the most over the course of the season?
SB: "That’s a difficult one because this is my first season here and I would like to assess something like this over at least a couple of seasons. Those who watched West Ham last year would maybe have a better idea but, from the beginning of this season, players such as Aaron Cresswell, Mark Noble and Michail Antonio have gone forward."
If you had one wish for next season, what would it be?
SB: "One wish is not enough really. First of all, I would like to keep the kind of dedication everyone has showed this season, the team spirit and to try and keep it all the time, without the little blips or dips.
"The second wish would be to take the energy and atmosphere from the crowd at the Boleyn Ground, wrap it up and take it with us to our new home. That is a real key for me."
What has impressed you about the Premier League as a whole this season?
SB: "The intensity and the unpredictability and I am not talking about Leicester now. It is more than ten years since I retired from playing and I have spoken to many managers from England when I was Croatia coach and when I was managing in Russia and Turkey.
"They all said that every game is so tough and they were contrasting it with different leagues around Europe where that wasn’t the case. They would give the example of Spain and Barcelona or Real Madrid; France with Paris St Germain, Italy with Juventus or Germany with Bayern Munich where there are a few games where the difference in class is so big, it is easy.
"They were telling me that was not the case in England but I wasn’t convinced. Now I am here, they are right. It is more here than anywhere else."
This article appears courtesy of the Evening Standard.