West Ham legend Tony Cottee has backed Declan Rice to become West Ham captain once Mark Noble hangs up his boots, according to Talksport. The former Hammer also went on to say that Rice would become a mainstay for England, if he chose to represent the Three Lions instead of Ireland.
Cottee has earmarked the 20-year-old as a future captain and it isn’t hard to see why. Rice has been excellent this season in a defensive midfield position whilst showing his leadership qualities. He can often be seen dictating tactics to far more experienced players and isn’t afraid to speak his mind.
The former forward, who made over 250 appearances for the club, labelled Rice as a “fantastic player.”
“He seems like a really nice lad and one that really cares about the football club,” Cottee said.
Rice’s combination of having star quality and a passion for West Ham has endeared him to supporters. He is surely many fans’ first choice to take over Noble’s role in the coming seasons.
Cottee has no doubts that Rice is the man to eventually replace Noble. He continued by saying: “He’s a player that can step up to that role in years to come.”
Rice is also deliberating over which national team to represent, having already made three appearances for Ireland. Cottee believes that if he chooses to go with England, Rice could be a star.
“The way Declan’s progressing, he’s got a real chance of getting into the fold and going on to win a big number of caps.”
Cottee also said that it is a highly exciting time for England with a raft of excellent young talent breaking through and that Rice could be a key man for his country of birth.
It is an interesting proposition to have Rice anchoring a future England midfield for many years to come.
Having signed a new contract until 2024, Rice’s West Ham future has been secured for now. As his excellent performances continue, it will only be a matter of time before bigger clubs attempt to pry him away from West Ham.
However, Rice’s love for the club and the highly likely scenario of becoming a future captain should entice him to stay.
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