The teenager as understandably nervous when David Moyes’ right-hand man, asked for a private chat but then calmed his worries with one sentence.
A relieved Rice said the England former hardman had declared: “I am really looking forward to working with you.”
He added: “I have learned a lot from him. I really took to him after he spoke to me. For a coach to come over and say that to me. And he’s going to keep helping me and I am going to keep listening and learning.”
After being rejected by Chelsea as a 14 year old Rice had been devastated and said: “It was really deflating. I lived ten minutes from the training ground and it was all I ever knew. But you just have to pick yourself up from it and go again.”
Rice ill play a lading role as the Hammers open their FA Cup campaign at Shrewsbury today and said: “We really want to win it.
“When I was a kid, watching it, they talked about the magic of the FA Cup and this is going to be my first game in it. I am really looking forward to it.”