The Hammers ace feared he wouldn’t make it at the Premier League club following the season-opening 4-0 defeat against Liverpool.
West Ham United manager Manuel Pellegrini has disclosed what he told Declan Rice after the infamous 4-0 loss to Liverpool at the start of the Premier League season in what turned out to be a man-management masterstroke.
Rice had a day to forget at the London Stadium on 12 August 2018 as the Reds were 2-0 up against the Hammers and the Chilean coach took the defensive midfielder off at half time, Robert Snodgrass coming on in his place.
According to Sky Sports News, Rice admitted that after being hauled off at the break in that game, he feared he would not make it in the Premier League and considered asking for a loan move.
Fast forward eight months and the 20-year-old is now an indispensable first-team player for the East Londoners, has committed his future to the club until 2024, and is now a senior England international valued at £31.5million (Transfermarkt).
It could have all been very different had Pellegrini decided to let Rice leave on loan, but in conversation with Sky Sports News, the coach said he was not planning to do such a thing and shared what he told the then-teenager.
“I don’t know why he thought that as he had no options to go on loan,” said Pellegrini. “Maybe he was disappointed because he played the first game, which we lost, but I spoke with him the same day and told him he was going to be an important player this season.
“Maybe it is a surprise for him, because last season he played not too many games, then started this season losing and being out of the team for the next games. Maybe he thought that. I never had any doubt about that.”
Although West Ham may be having an inconsistent season which has been beset with some poor results and some fans continue to have reservations about Pellegrini, they should be thankful about his conversation with Rice on that summer’s day which went on to yield dividends of the best kind.
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