Neil McDonald has spoken of his excitement of taking on the challenge of becoming West Ham United's new assistant manager.

The former Newcastle United and Everton full-back has been named as Sam Allardyce's No2, reforming the same management team that enjoyed success at Bolton Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers.

McDonald, who also enjoyed a season in charge of Carlisle United in 2006/07, told West Ham TV how he and Allardyce would leave no stone unturned in their quest to lead the Hammers back to the Premier League.

"Sam asked me to come with him and it took me about two or three seconds to decide that I would," said the 45-year-old. "It's a fantastic, huge football club that needs to be in the Premier League and that's what we're here for - to get back up as soon as we can, in that first season if possible.

"We're really looking forward to the season. It's going to be a long season with lots of games compared to the Premier League, but we'll have the players prepared and ready to win as many games as possible and get into a position to get back into the Premier League."

Wallsend-born McDonald visited the Boleyn Ground and Chadwell Heath this week, while he also revealed how he has been in contact with the club's coaching and medical staff ahead of the start of pre-season training on 1 July.

"It's definitely great to come down and have a look and get my bearings. I've had a look at the ground and the training ground to see what's there and make preparations for pre-season.

"I've been on the phone all the time to the majority of the staff to see where they are at and who they are and to introduce myself, so it's been all go.

"That's just the start before coming down on 1 July and it'll be all systems go straight from there."

McDonald was eager to point out that relegation is now a thing of the past, and how the disappointment of the drop must be replaced with the positive attitude required to mount a promotion charge.

"We have to look to the future, which is the Championship, and we've got to be as positive as we can.

"We've got to set targets as high as we possibly can and reach them as soon as we possibly can, so everything will be well organised and up and running by 1 July when all the players are back.

"It'll be good to get to know all the players, to see which ones we can shout at, which ones we can put our arms around and which ones we can have quiet conversations with. To find the dynamics of the team over the six weeks before the start of the season will be very interesting.

"We've got lots to look forward to and lots to get stuck into as well."

*To watch Neil McDonald's West Ham TV interview in full and hear about his relationship with Sam Allardyce and his views on building a fortress at the Boleyn Ground, improving the club's away form and developing young players, click on the link below.