"Obviously with the senior boys it is essential that we hold on to people like Christian Dailly and Steve Lomas who will just be more determined to make sure they get us promoted," he says.
"Certainly that was their take after the game - and it is obviously something that is close to my heart.
"You get stronger, you get determined, you get a thicker skin and you prepare yourself for next year."
He also believes that the younger players will be better next year and explains:
"We are not talking about established internationals coming in and putting the West Ham shirt on, that is relatively easy for them.
"We have brought players in from lower league clubs, in particular Wimbledon, and those guys wouldn't have experienced anything like what they have experienced in those six months at West Ham.
"It is the same, to a certain degree, for Bobby and Marlon as well - those games in the playoffs were the biggest of their lives, and they will all gain from that."