If one thing has become clear this season, Mark Noble is winding down on his West Ham United career.
Fans will love what Noble and Rice have been doing behind the scenes at West Ham
The homegrown Hammers captain has been an amazing servant to West Ham.
But his influence on the pitch has waned in recent seasons even if he rarely lets anyone down.
Noble entering his West Ham swansong?
With Declan Rice’s emergence and the signing of Tomas Soucek, Noble has been consigned to a bench role when fit.
Noble turns 34 in May. So this could well be his last season in the claret and blue of his beloved club as David Moyes looks to build a young, athletic team of players hungry to prove themselves on the big stage.
But West Ham co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold should not be too hasty to cut Noble’s playing career short.
That’s according to former Hammer Luke Chadwick, who played alongside Noble during his spell at the club.
Speaking to The West Ham Way Extra Time podcast, Chadwick says it is worth keeping Noble involved purely for his huge influence on the team behind-the-scenes and the fact he sets the standards when it comes to playing for HIS club.
Chadwick makes a brilliant point about Noble’s West Ham future
“I actually played with him on his debut at Upton Park against Norwich in the FA Cup and you could see from a young age what a player he was going to be and what a career he’s had at West Ham,” Chadwick told The West Ham Way Extra Time podcast.
“Yea I think so (that Noble still has a massive role to play at the club). He’s Mr West Ham isn’t he, knows the club inside out. And I think it’s so important to have them players around.
“He’s certainly evolved as a player. I remember when I first played with him he was here, there and everywhere. Obviously age takes hold of everyone and he’s more of a sitting player now and spent most of the time on the bench this season.
‘So important to have characters like that around the dressing room’
“But I think even without him playing a lot of games I think it’s so important to have characters like that around the dressing room who loves the club and wants the best for the club all the time.”
Whatever happens with Noble after this season he simply must be kept at the club in some capacity.
Whether that is a new one-year deal as a squad player or a role in and around the first team squad.
Noble himself has said he has ambitions to be director of football at West Ham when he finishes playing – read below. But surely it will be too soon for that, he still has plenty to give in the dressing room at least.
Mark Noble unsure over his West Ham future but likes the idea of a director of football role
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