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‘You have to earn that respect’: David Moyes praises West Ham captain Declan Rice’s ‘commitment’ but insists he needs ‘experience’ before he can match the stature of Hammers legend Mark Noble
- Declan Rice took over as West Ham captain after Mark Noble’s retirement
- Noble was a club legend who played 550 times at the end of last season
- David Moyes said Rice has ‘big boots to fill’ but is already ‘our leader’
- He praised the midfielder’s ‘commitment’ but said respect had to be ‘deserved’
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West Ham boss David Moyes says captain Declan Rice still has to “earn the respect” of teammates off the field to emulate his predecessor Mark Noble.
Moyes, who will side with Fulham on Sunday, acknowledges that the 23-year-old has ‘big boots to fill’ as former captain Noble made 550 appearances before retiring at the end of last season.
“Dec has been our leader on the pitch for the past two years,” said Moyes. “His achievements are unparalleled.
Declan Rice has ‘big boots to fill’ after Mark Noble take over as West Ham captain
“His commitment, he wants to play the games and get better. The other side is that with a little experience you know what to do in certain situations.
“Mark was the shop assistant here and had everything under control. You have to earn that respect and Dec still has to do it.”
David Moyes praised his skipper’s commitment but insisted he still has to earn respect