LionsXII captain Isa Halim and striker Khairul Amri want to erase painful memories of a poor 2014 as they begin preparations for the upcoming Malaysia Super League (MSL) season.
The duo is considered as the backbone of the team with 145 Singapore international caps between them. They're expected to lead Fandi Ahmad's young team into battle when the MSL kicks off in February.
Amri, who is the first-choice forward for the team, will have newbie Sahil Suhaimi competing with him for a starting spot upfront. But instead of fearing for his place, the 29-year-old is pleased to see his compatriot coming through the ranks.
He said: "I think it is good for the team to have Sahil [Suhaimi] as another attacking option. We can also have the other strikers [Sufian Anuar, Khairul Nizam and Syafiq Zainal] so this is good competition. The main aim is to respond to this season in a positive way. We want to improve and show that this team can play well as a unit."
As for his own personal target for the season, the former Tampines Rovers FC striker refused to put a targeted goal tally on himself as he sees it as a team effort more than individual glory.
"I always play the same way. I go out there and give me best and try to score with every opportunity that comes my way. I don't have a number of goals in mind but I will give my all and together with my teammates, hope to win as many games as possible," added Amri.
His captain Isa is also eager to get the season underway after an Achilles tendon injury forced him to sit out for most of 2014. He did return for the Malaysia Cup campaign towards the end of the season where the LionsXII bowed out at the group stages.
He said: "I don't want to look back at this season. I am focused on pushing forward and winning back my place in the team. I'm trying hard and I can't wait to get out on the field and fight alongside my teammates again.
"We need to improve and prove the doubters wrong. This team is a much improved one from last season and with some good youngsters like Christopher [van Huizen] and Sahil joining our ranks, we need to go out there and win back the fans. I can also see a strong team spirit in the past few weeks and this will only get better as the season comes along. We will be ready."
One man who echoes his captain's words is new boy van Huizen who only came to prominence two years ago. He took part in the television football reality series, First XI before earning a contract with Tampines. He then rose through the ranks from the Prime League to play four matches in the 2014 S.League season.
"This is a dream come true for me to be a LionsXII player," van Huizen said. "I have always dreamt of becoming a professional player and this is a great platform for me to show what I can do and hopefully make an impression. The seniors in the team have been guiding me along and leading by example while coach [Fandi Ahmad] always makes it a point to give me advice on how to improve my defensive game while making full use of my attacking game. I hope to play as much as possible and promise to give everything I got on the pitch."
The LionsXII are set to kick off their campaign in early February. With preparations already underway, the 2013 MSL champions will be hoping to improve on their dismal sixth-placed finish in 2014. They would also love to go all the way in the 2015 Malaysia Cup.