Captain Ulises Davila is keen to ensure Macarthur aren't just making up the numbers in the A-League Men this season after admitting he considered pulling the pin on life in Australia.
The Mexican magician missed a big chunk of last season with injury and also had to contend with the devastating death of his wife Lily Pacheco.
But Davila, 32, says a trip back to Mexico has given him a renewed sense of purpose, the former Johnny Warren medallist eager to do his part to guarantee Macarthur are challenging for trophies and not picking up the wooden spoon for a second successive campaign.
"I went back and did most of my recovery there and there were a lot of things crossing my mind," Davila told AAP ahead of Saturday's home clash with Brisbane Roar.
"Do I go home and stop? Or do I keep going?
"At the end of that, I decided to keep my life moving forward, enjoying football and seeing my kid enjoy his life.
"I made the right decision, from day one back here I felt I have a family here.
"I'm enjoying every day and everyone has been supportive of me and made sure I feel I have a home here."
Macarthur began last year strongly, picking up the Australia Cup and challenging for a spot in the top six.
Things unravelled after then-head coach Dwight Yorke's now-infamous dressing-room rant in which he described Macarthur as a "pub team".
Mile Sterjovski was left to pick up the pieces and has built the off-season around ensuring Macarthur play a possession-based brand of football.
Sterjovski has recruited shrewdly to address the Bulls' weaknesses, adding French striker Valere Germain from Montpellier along with Kiwi defensive midfielder Clayton Lewis, who Davila played with at Wellington Phoenix.
"I got injured two weeks after Mile got the job," Davila said.
"We have a clear understanding of what he wants and the team looks solid,
"The new players bring a lot of quality and I know what I'm getting with Clayton.
"(Germain) is a top player whose played at the top level - he can drop and have the ball and we've been linking well, so hopefully we can show that in our games."
