Hammers captain expects to stay at Upton Park

By Simon Hayes on July 30, 2008 3:16 PM |

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LUCAS Neill has promised West Ham fans they will see the best of him this season, provided he’s still around for the big kick-off on August 16.

Recent speculation has seen the 30-year-old full-back linked with a number of clubs, the latest being Manchester City.

Their new manager, Mark Hughes, was Neill’s boss at Blackburn Rovers and it’s thought they are lining up a £1.6million bid.

But Neill insisted he is ignoring the transfer gossip to focus on the job at Upton Park, where he will wear the captain’s armband again this year.

He said: “All the speculation has come from various sources but I’m a West Ham player with a West Ham contract. That’s the start and finish of it.”

Neill admitted last season was a poor one for him as he struggled to find the form that helped the Irons escape relegation after he joined in January 2007, and he’s determined to make amends this time round.

He said: “Last year I didn’t have a proper pre-season and as a result couldn’t lay any fitness foundations but now I’ve had three or four weeks already and I feel great.

“For me it’ll be a big improvement and like lots of people I feel I’ve still got lots to prove at West Ham. I’m looking forward to it.”

He knows he has to up his game following the Hammers’ £5million capture of Swiss international Valon Behrami, who made his debut at right-back in Tuesday night’s 2-0 win at Peterborough.

But Neill felt the squad deserved credit after last season’s crippling injury problems.

He said: “Last year we finished tenth, without all our supposed big names. I thought it was a superb effort considering all the things going against us. This year the only way is up.

“What people can’t take their eyes off is what happened on the pitch wasn’t a reflection of what we were trying to do off it. There were so many things going wrong and I can say, hand on heart, perhaps it didn’t work quite as well for everyone on the field.

“It was frustrating but you couldn’t get a bunch of guys who were trying harder to make things right and doing the best with what we had available, so we can’t lose sight of that.”

So, what does the Australian international see as the Irons’ major objective this season?

He said: “Realistically everyone is challenging for fifth. We’re no different and we’re going to start the season with that objective and see where it ends.”

The Hammers’ continue their warm up with friendlies at Southampton tomorrow and Ipswich on Monday, and round off their pre-season when they entertain La Liga outfit Villareal on August 9.