Rice has brain of a 30 year old – Bilic

Slaven Bilic believes that 18 year old Declan Rice has the brain and concentration of a 30 year old.

There’s a rising confidence in the manager that the West Ham future is in great hands as he sees the youngsters making their way into the first team set-up.

He watched delighted as a new crop of kids made their presence felt in the Caraboa Cup match and said: “Declan Rice is only young on paper, but he has a brain and concentration as if he was 30 years old

. “He’s thinking about the game, he’s thinking about his positioning and everything. He is totally in the game, which is putting him in a position that he has everything to become a really, really good player.

“Declan can play in both positions. He is naturally a centre-back, but he has enough skill and stamina in his legs to play as a holding midfielder, and the brains to play both.

Where he is going to play in his career, I really don’t know. If I had to choose I would say centre-back, but I don’t see anything he doesn’t have not to be a top holding midfielder, as he can pass the ball and has good stamina, so both!

“Haksabanovic was good. He didn’t surprise me, but it is really difficult for a young player to play his first game, but he looked very mature. The lads around him helped him to get into the game and he did very good, so I’m very pleased with him, as I am with Dom Quina and Nathan Holland.

“Those four players have a bright future if they play like that.”