Alan's Big Aims

ALAN Pardew has admitted that he does not want to hang around in his quest to win trophies with West Ham United.

Although Pards is keen to stress that survival remains the immediate goal for his Hammers squad as he looks to stabilise the Club in the Premier League, the Upton Park boss has big plans for the future.

"We want to win things here," he insisted, "not hang around and make up the numbers, because that doesn't motivate me.

"At the moment, our expectation levels are still very much survival because that is the key for building this team.

"We have made great strides in the summer to take the team forward and I feel we've achieved that.

"Now it's about stabilising ourselves as a Premiership team and building from there because we want to take the Club forward onto the next level."

Pards does admit that winning promotion through the Play-offs has meant a hectic few months at Upton Park as the Club have upgraded the set-up to prepare to take on the Premiership.

But with the improvements to the squad, backroom staff and now training ground complete the Hammers boss is now setting his sights on cementing West Ham United's position back among the country's elite.

"It's crucial for promoted teams to adjust to the Premiership as quickly as possible," he said, "particularly when you have been promoted through the Play-offs.

"Survival is even more difficult when you've come through the Play-offs because you effectively lose three weeks when you could be out acquiring players.

"It limits your preparation time for the new season. You can't put things into place because you don't know what division you are going to be in.

"Over the last few months we've achieved a huge turnaround. We've made lots of improvements to the training ground, which are only just being completed, and the players we've brought into the squad have made a big difference."

The players that helped secure promotion at the Millennium Stadium back in May have acquitted themselves very well to life in the top-flight, a fact underlined by Anton Ferdinand breaking into the England Under-21 team and Nigel Reo-Coker being made captain.

The Hammers boss is also quick to point out his delight at how many of his players have handled the step-up to Premiership level, and is hoping the improvement continues over the next few months.

"I think our players have made the step up very well so far," he said. "It is very much a case of so far, because we've only had three games, but in those matches we've seen the players that came up from the Championship play very well.

"The squad have adjusted well and the new players have fitted in nicely. But the important thing for us is to keep getting points.We didn't get any last time out against Bolton despite a performance that we can take a lot of belief from.

"We played well against Bolton, but needed to be more clinical and that's something we've been working on and will hopefully improve against Villa.

"We need to take some points from the Villa game to get the positive momentum going again and everyone is looking forward to the game.

"I haven't been surprised by the start we've made to the season, because we've worked hard over the summer and have gone into the games with a lot of confidence.

"We've had one or two bonuses, which you take gladly and hope plenty more come your way during the season.

"But some of the performances have been great and hopefully that continues against Aston Villa on Monday."