Declan Rice explains the role captain Mark Noble is playing behind the scenes

West Ham midfielder Declan Rice says a large part of this season’s success and his personal growth is down to the guidance of retiring club captain Mark Noble.

The 34-year-old Noble will bring down the curtain on his career at the end of the season, after almost two decades with the Hammers.

This season he’s only managed four league games, but he is still playing a pivotal role behind the scenes.

“He’s such a good person,” Rice said with a smile, when talking about the influence of Noble to the Hammers’ website.

“Honestly, if Nobes weren’t around, I don’t think I would have been as successful as I’ve been at West Ham.

“You can speak to him about anything and if I do something wrong, even in training, he will tell me straight away.

“It makes me think: ‘Wow, he’s still on me’.

“He teaches me how to be a good person around the place, how to be with the lads, and if anything needs to be said in the changing room, you’ve got to say it.

“I feel like I couldn’t have had anyone better to guide me through.

“He helps us all and he helps lads with all the experience and elegance he’s got.”

It’s been another monumental season for Rice, who is not only a key cog for club, but now a regular member and starter for England, and was influential as the Three Lions reached the final of the Euros at Wembley last year.

He credits his mental strength to his growing stature and influence on the pitch, but is not getting carried away by his success because he says there is still more to come.

He added: “You can’t play football without confidence.

“I have always had this ability in my mind, everyone’s always told me, but I have been adding to it, season on season, and I feel like this season I have matured, I have pretty much grown into a man now.

“I have been doing things that people obviously didn’t think I could do on a football pitch, but I have known myself I can do it.

“It’s just building the foundations to keep improving and getting better.

“My dad always says it to me. When I step on the pitch, he says ‘what have you got to lose?’ and I have that mindset.

“It’s like ‘I have got 90 minutes here, why am I going to hold myself back? Why am I going to limit myself?’

“Now I am being compared to so many top players, and if you want to be a top player you need to be in the game all the time.

“I am thinking now that, when I go out on the football pitch, I am being constantly watched and I need to try and be the best player on the pitch every time I go out there.”