Mark Noble has delivered his most forthright interview yet on the West Ham situation declaring that nobody should rely on him anymore.
As the club continues to spiral downwards, the protests grow and we seem no closer to buying additional players these are deeply worrying times at the club.
Noble insists there are no excuses left for the players whom he appears to blame for the problems we are experiencing but makes it clear he’s worrying himself to death about the club’s future.
He has good reason as the money spent on Manuel Pellegrini and Mario Husillo’s players – looks to have gone on flakey individuals who aren’t doing it as the circumstances deteriorate badly.
The board has just a few days left to find players who will make a difference and halt the slide to what many now believe is certain relegation and the captain has made his position very clear in these circumstances.
Speaking exclusively to talkSPORT, he said: “I’m 33 in May. I’ve been doing this for 15/16 years of my life. It’s half my life.
“At a club at this level with the money we’ve spent, you can’t rely on me. You can’t rely on me to come on at half-time during an FA Cup game – that shouldn’t be like that.
“The manager knew I had played three games in a week, and we’ve got two big games at home.
“I spoke to him yesterday and he said he would be putting me on the bench today to save my legs.”
He continued: “When his team performs like that then what can you do? Listen I’ve just said to the players in there that we’ve got to look at ourselves in the mirror – it’s no-one else’s fault.
“We’ve changed managers, we cant’t use that excuse.
“We’ve got to say to ourselves did I work hard enough today? Was I good enough? And the answer for me was no.”
Noble wasted the best of a host of late chances, blazing over the bar from 10 yards out with the clock ticking down.
The 32-year-old, who made his West Ham debut all the way back in August 2004, also says he is ‘worried’ about the club’s future and planned to enjoy the latter stages of his career – something he’s been unable to do so far.
“I constantly worry about the club. I’m turning 33 soon and that’s where you’re at the age where you want to enjoy the last few years of your career,” he explained.
“But when you’re fighting relegation battles, then trust me it isn’t enjoyable.”
Too right we can’t rely on noble, as he is too slow, technically rubbish, and not good enough anymore, should not be in the first team
Andrew Sowerby, if you are a real West Ham fan you are an utter disgrace.
15/16 years Noble has been influential on our midfield. If we had another 10 Mark Nobles right now we would find ourself in this position. I hope you read this, you complete embarrassment of supporter.
Too influential but not good enough. Our midfield has been over run for last 4 seasons. There is a good reason he gas never played for England and the top sides have never tried to sign him. Loyal or no betrer option to leave?
He was U-21 Captain for I don’t know how long- the reason he never got in the England squad was because those were the days of Gerard and Scholes. I’d much rather see Noble,Zaba and Snoddy trying their best than Sanchez running around like a headless chicken.
If we can’t rely on mark noble then the game is up we will be a championship team next season noble has always given a 100% and leads from the front he does everything he can to push his team mates forward he s always honest in his suming up of the teams performance but it seems that some of the West ham team are only interested in how much money they take home each week and as for the board yes they have spent money on players but most are has been and really not good enough for the premiership if they all took a leaf out of Mark nobles book we would be looking at a top 4 place if we go down it could take a very long time to get back up as no top players wildest to stay or join us as a championship team
That is your myopic view – his presence and leadership made all the difference in the second half and he could so easily have criticized some of his over paid colleagues who, many years younger, did not put in half the effort he did.
Unbelievable, you obviously have No Idea WHO Mark Noble is! He is a West Ham Legend, and I honestly believe that if it wasn’t for him….Singlehandedly, we would be in even Bigger trouble right now.
He is OUR Presence in the dressing room, similar to what Adams was at Arsenal!
Honest remarks by the Captain. And absolutely nothing wrong with that. He is 33 and at that age, you can feel tiredness in your body and mind. So, thank you Mark for your honest remarks about yourself. And I however must add, we looked a million times better in the 2nd half against West Brom.
And secondly, the players having too look in the mirror for full evaluation and honesty in terms of … did they give their best ???? • That’s where our problem lies.
Not in an aging captain, not in Moyes … but every player, esp the overpaid ones. week after week … Haller, Fornals, Anderson, Balbuena are getting worse. Sanchez, Ajeti, Roberto etc are just not Premier standard. So every week we shout at Moyes. What can he achieve with the bulk of the team not passionate and on fire?????
Spot On. Couldn’t agree with you more.
Andrew, do you actually watch any West Ham games??
Andrew Sowerby? Technically rubbish? He is and has always been technically good. Poor comments shows Andrew you have a lack of knowledge. He actually came on yesterday and was one of he players who made a difference along with Antonio and rice. The players you should be moaning at are the likes of Haller, Lanzini,
Andrews correct.
We all love what noble has done for 15 years for this club through sheer determination and grit.
But bee honest with yourself. He is not an incredible footballer. He just cares.
The fact we have had him as a starter for nearly 10 years in a midfield 2 shows how we haven’t progressed at all. Any midfield with noble in it will not consistently (key word) dominate the midfield in games. That is the most important part of the pitch.
Out of a midfield 2 of noble and rice, you know which of those 2 should’ve been replaced 2 or 3 seasons ago. Noble should be on the bench willing to play 30 mins or through injury crises/fixture congestion.
It’s just the truth. You can still adore what he’s done for west ham and still acknowledge that he is a problem, not a solution, going forward.
Plenty of time to analyse that performance on my way back home last night, it’s a 400 mile round journey, and that return journey has become tedious to say the least.
We complain about our old timers in Noble and Zabaleta, but West Brom had Chris Brunt and Gareth Barry, somewhat older!
The least you would expect from our Pulis/Allardyce type management is organisation, but with 8 changes, West Brom bossed the game, and could have won more easily. Boards, managers, players all are all temporary, my love for West Ham Utd is permanent, sadly as an old timer if we go down which is now likely, I may not see them back in my lifetime.
Mark Noble is as much West Ham as our most dedicated supporter. He is not “rubbish”, there is a limit to just how much any one player can do at any club. I believe he deserves some respect for what he has done for this club. He also deserves a dignified path towards retirement from the playing field and a prominent place among the coaching staff. The same can’t be said for most of the rest of the playing staff. That is where the fault lies. Blame them, not our captain.
Nobes has been a fine player and should now, at the end of his career, make perhaps the occasional appearance. Instead he’s carrying the can for the appalling way the club is run. Unfair? You bet! And he’s right to say so.
Noble has been the biggest defender of the board in recent years. Championed the appointment of Moyes. He is not carrying the can, but banging the drum.
Why can’t he play 2 matches a week, others can , Milner, Fernandinho amongst many others the truth is he was never top class and with his lack of pace he is now clearly the weak link most weeks as every team waltz past him
Because he is having to put in 100% more effort, an extra10% to cover every other player not putting it in
Noble has been the problem for a few years due to his lack of pace. But seems to be untouchable at tbe club and now has taken up a role as mouth piece for the board and main backer of the ridiculous reappointment of Moyes. Probably with a guarantee to keep him in team. Under his captaincy have we ever had a settled dressing room. Do the better players feel undermined by the local boy and basically stop trying. Tine to move Noble out in summer and allow the team to have a fresh start
There can be no question that Mark Noble is a West Ham Legend, but it’s obvious that he shouldn’t be relied upon (even Pelle knew that…. but didn’t get a replacement).
Everything that he stands for is being trashed because he is being asked to do a job that he hasn’t got the legs for anymore and Moyes has no one else.
Nobes is sending a Clear message to the board about what they NEED to do, to get us out of this Mess…….that they got us into in the first place with their mismanagement.
Glad to hear him say this, if the players have any pride they will realise they have almost hit rock bottom although that may be yet to come and pull their fingers out !!!
Too many players half hearted efforts.
Compared to most of the team yesterday at last Mark gave everything with Declan! and the manager moans he can’t get back room staff which he needs? and Noble gets at the stick lol Who would want to join Our Club the way it is being run, perhaps the manager was the only one who would join us! We are in one complete mess, and it stems more off the pitch and the way the club is being run, so sad!
Noble made a difference when he came on and tried to instigate attacking movement around the box , but where in the whole game was Lanzini? He is supposed to be the creative one but was incapable of taking people on and constantly looked to give the ball back to Noble or try stupid shots from 30 yards. Why was Fornals taken off and Lanzini. Kept on ?
Noble isn’t the problem , I agree he isn’t the full solution going forward, but it is the creative players that are failing us
And Lanzini isn’t the player he was for a while
It’s all too easy for people to knock Noble for not being good enough etc etc..yes he should have been replaced a couple of years ago & he’s past it, no doubt about it.
But, he is one of the only ones who puts a shift in every time he pulls on a shirt. He, along with maybe a couple of others, can not carry a team. He is correct in saying that basically the majority of the players don’t care enough to get us out the mess we are in.
The top names will jump a sunken ship if we go down, Haller, Fornals, Rice, Diop & a few others will not play in the Championship & the club will be powerless to stop them. Even if there is no relegation clause in their contracts the wages will be too high to sustain.
If the board wont or can’t spend when on the PL gravy boat there is not a cat in hells chance in the Championship.
I take it that this £40m you mention is the ‘payday loan’ they take out every year with their mate at Rights and Media Funding, where they mortgage everything that isn’t bolted down.? Even the Leases from the shops are thrown into the mix along with the PL TV income. If that is true then we really are in a mess..
It’s very obvious from what Mark has said and wrote that he knows within him self that his days are numbered but what do we have?Sanchez? Thanks but no thanks
I have really appreciated Mark.over his career and although he is well past his best (and he knows ) he doesn’t deserve to be slated and ridiculed .he needs to get his badges sorted now and come back as the MR WEST HAM we all know and love.. Andrew Sowerby I really don’t enjoy to read comments like you posted .
Be respectful please .to a man that has claret and blue blood.
I question that you are in that mold
Noble is without question the worst player in the league . He is slow and technically rubbish . He contributes nothing as he can’t defend or attack and is too d/slow to cover breakaways in either direction . He should have been replaced 3 years ago and promising youngsters have left the club as the managers have the Noble must play injections from Sullivan . We are not going to get out of thishole unless we get at least 2 new midfield players . Our defenders and attackers are under intense pressure as they are getting no support or service from Noble and co . We probably have the three slowest players in the league in Noble Zabaletta and Snodgrass. The board must act now or they will own a terrible team in a half empty morque .
If the same players are under performing every week bring in under 23 players can’t do any worse. Stop sending them out on loan put them in the team
The under 23 team are playing at league 2 standard in the u23 second division. That’s why they have been sent on loan to championship and league 1 teams to get experience at a higher level. If they were truly good enough at the moment they would be in the first team squad just like we did with rice. We need to sign some players but they need to give a crap about the club not just the pay Cheque. I would rather see Ajeti up front in the next game as at least the lad tries. Same for noble and Snodgrass who get so much stick but at least they give a s*^t. As long as the team try the best they can regardless of ability or pace I’ll be ok with that. Better people that try and care but might be past it than going out with a whimper with a team full of players that clearly couldn’t care less and have prob already told there agents to get them a move.
We Sold Kouyate, Obiang and Fernandes and gave old man Noble a new contract. But hey he comes from Canning Town and bleeds Claret
I think that we all agree that we needed to either have kept at least one of Kouyate (who I really liked) Obiang or Fernandes or else replaced them. I still think that the reason that we beat Everton at Goodison last season was because Pelle played three midfielders in Rice, Noble and Obiang – and I think that Noble will still have a role to play even if we sign the midfielder that we have been crying out for
As for him disturbing the dressing room I remember an earlier interview with Kouyate saying how helpful Noble had been in helping him settle into the club
We are all feeling the pain of a terrible season and still have a relegation fight on our hands – but Noble is not the one to blame