Head Coach Graham Potter was in positive mood as he spoke to whufc.com ahead of West Ham United's Premier League Summer Series opener against Manchester United in New Jersey.
The Hammers have been in the United States since Wednesday afternoon, training at Rutgers University and meeting supporters at a series of events.
On Friday, Potter, captain Jarrod Bowen, Nayef Aguerd and Ollie Scarles were at a Premier League Community event at Washington Elementary School in Kearny, New Jersey, coaching and sharing their experiences with youngsters and speaking to broadcast and written press.
Players also attended a Premier League showcase at the huge American Dream Mall next to MetLife Stadium, while Potter and Maximilian Kilman joined the Barclays Business of Football Event celebrating Barclays' 25-year partnership with the Premier League in New York City on Thursday.
The Head Coach is happy to be in the US as he prepares his squad for three exciting pre-season fixtures, with Saturday's game against Manchester United to be followed by games against Everton at Soldier Field in Chicago on Wednesday and AFC Bournemouth at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta a week on Sunday.
Tickets for all three matches remain on General Sale HERE, with supporters now able to save 20% on select seats by using the code PLSS20.
Speaking with a smile on his face, here are the key talking points from what Potter had to say...
Settling in
It's been a really good trip so far. We’ve adapted to the conditions here - it's quite warm, so we're just making sure the players are climatised and have adjusted after the travel.
It’s not my first time in the United States, but it’s always great to explore unfamiliar places and get out and about.
I had an event in New York on Thursday, which was good, and I’ve managed to see some of the nice views and skylines in the city.
But it’s a balance, and we’ve focused in training on putting in the hard work and making sure we’re ready to go against Manchester United.
We've had two good training days, so now we're looking forward to the game tomorrow.
Productive pre-season so far
Pre-season’s a bit of a mix of everything really, and it’s a really important time.
I think it's been really a positive two or three weeks so far to be honest, since we first came back for pre-season.
We had a good, positive week at Rush Green, when we really spoke a lot about the culture we want to have at the Club, and how we want to create that connection with our supporters, with the community and with each other.
I think we’ve really developed a strong bond as a group. We had a really good week in Germany, which really helped us develop relationships and grow.
This trip is another opportunity to build on that. With the games we have, we can develop ourselves tactically as well as on the pitch, and at the same time continue progressing that foundation of the culture we want in the team. So far, it’s been a really good start.
Down to work
It's always nice to play Manchester United, and it’s at the MetLife Stadium, which I’m really looking forward to. I’ve not been yet, and it’s meant to be fantastic.
It’s about playing for us, and getting some more minutes in the players’ legs. We want to adapt some things tactically, learn more about each other and just continue the process of learning and developing the team.
You don't have time to catch up once the season’s started, so it’s really important we kick on in the right way and make the most of the time we’ve got.
Ready for the Red Devils
It's always a good game against Manchester United, I think. It's always a strong test for us.
I think we're still at the point where we have to focus on ourselves, how we want to play and how the team is looking. As I said, we need to carry on building the fitness in the players, and it could be the first 90 minutes for some players this season.
Manchester United bring their own challenge, but we need to think about ourselves, what we want to do and try and give the best version of ourselves.
Eyes on a strong start to the Summer Series
It's always important, and always nice, to win.
It's not the most important thing, of course, because we need to make sure we get the players through the game, but winning is what we’re here for. We need to make sure we develop our understanding and our environment so that we're in a strong place for the season ahead.
The Premier League is so tough, but wherever you play, I think it's a good habit to get into, winning tournaments.
