Traditionally it is the fans who are thought to be the most excited about the start of a new season but it is no different with the West Ham United first team.
The players have all been speaking this week about the prospect of being back at the Boleyn and taking on a good Spanish side in RC Deportivo La Coruna. Saturday's match - to be played for the SBOBET Cup - will be the first chance for the new recruits to experience the atmosphere of the Academy of Football while their team-mates will all be itching to truly put last season behind them.
Kieron Dyer is a keen student of the game and enjoys watching the best that European football has to be offer. As such, he is looking forward to pitting his wits against Deportivo as a final warm-up for the big Barclays Premier League kick-off at Aston Villa a week later.
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"I am expecting quick players who are comfortable on the ball. Spain have demonstrated they are the best national team in the world at the moment. People say about the Premiership being the best league in the world but they are catching us very quickly. It is going to be a great test and something we need before we go to Villa."
Dyer is relishing the prospect of being able to play at home once again and show the supporters what has been worked on over the summer months. "It is good to go back to Upton Park. We always play there the week before the season and usually have a sell-out. It will be good and hopefully we can give the fans something to cheer about."
Mark Noble, who cites Barcelona duo Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta as his favourite two players, is equally eager for the chance to pit his wits against midfield schemers like Spain legend Juan Carlos Valeron. "They are going to be a good technical side.
"All Spanish sides are and every time we have played one they have been good. We are looking forward to getting into the season now and making the journey to Aston Villa.
"Saturday will be good for the new lads who don't know the atmosphere at West Ham yet. They are going to enjoy that and hopefully the groundsman has the pitch lovely and fresh for us and we can put on a good show."