‘It’s unbelievable’: Snodgrass claims West Ham player is ‘turning into Mark Noble’

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Robert Snodgrass has lauded West Ham midfielder, Declan Rice, on talkSPORT on Tuesday morning.

The West Brom winger claimed that the England international is ‘turning into Mark Noble’ and lauded how he is a ‘great young character’ in West Ham’s dressing room.

Rice will be hoping to start for England this Sunday when the Three Lions take on Croatia in their Euro 2020 opener.

There’s no reason why the West Ham rock shouldn’t start because he has become a key figure for his country in that holding role and he is only getting better as time goes by.

And Snodgrass, who shared a training pitch with Rice at the London Stadium, had nothing but positive words to say about his former teammate.

“Me, Nobs, Cresswell and Andy Carroll are all sitting there and watching him coming in,” said Snodgrass. “The minute I saw him. I knew that he would be a great young character.

“He asked questions. He wanted to get better from the very off. James Collins helped him a hell of a lot and spoke to him in areas. And helped him with key points.

“He’s very, very level-headed. He’s got a great head on his shoulders and a great family around him. He’s just a lovely kid who, for me, loves the banter. Mark Noble has taken him under his wing. He’s honestly just turning into Mark Noble, honestly, it’s unbelievable.

“Noble has taught him how to be a captain and live his life. I think the only difference is that he got the England call and Mark didn’t, which still baffles me to this day.”

From being rejected as a Chelsea youngster, Rice hasn’t just picked up his football career that took a big early blow, but he has turned it around pretty quickly.

There aren’t many top-quality holding players repping England colours and it does seem as though Rice will be the future for some while.

He does have competition from Kalvin Phillips and Jude Bellingham, however.

And whilst England don’t have the depth that they want in the holding role yet, if talents like Rice and Bellingham continue to come through then the Three Lions right-back spot might not be the only position jam-packed.