Perhaps it comes with the territory. Sometimes it might even be warranted. But those who’ve written off Mark Noble in the past have done so at their peril.
In my humble opinion it has been one of Mark Nobles best seasons. Arguably the post lockdown period has seen some of his finest performances of 2019-20 but beforehand he was looking extremely effective in his link-up role.
Unlike many others I believe that Nobes will have a role to play on the pitch for at least another couple of seasons. He keeps himself in excellent shape and his dedication is a lesson to all. Perhaps he won’t start every single match but, even his biggest critics must admit that, when it comes to derby days, he’s the first name on the team-sheet.
Experience counts for a lot. Insofar as leadership is concerned there are very few who can match Nobes on a field of play today. Those two facts give confidence to others, especially the younger members of the team, on the pitch. That alone supports the case for Nobes to continue playing, if not playing a full ninety minutes each match, until the point at which he is unable to continue any longer.
I am ashamed to admit that, in the past, I have been critical of Nobes. One thing I have observed about my criticisms, however, that they were all levelled at the player when he was being put in a holding midfield position. Throughout Nobes’ career, I feel, he’s always been most effective when playing further up the pitch. Since lockdown he’s occupied more advanced roles within the team which has been a positive and has seen a higher level of quality in his play.
At the time I felt he wasn’t performing well he was in a team that were not moving to create options for him on the ball. The result tended to be that he would play the ball either sideways or backwards which became quite frustrating. In hindsight, and towards the end of that trough in his career, I started to realise that he was simply doing the job he was being asked to do but was also being made to look poor by the system of play and the players around him.
Now that Nobes has played five hundred first team games for the club he joins the very top echelon of West Ham legends. He joins the likes of Bobby Moore, Billy Bonds, Trevor Brooking, Geoff Hurst, Frank Lampard Snr, Alvin Martin and Steve Potts. Having led the team out in the final game at the Boleyn ground and the very first game at the Bowl he occupies a very special place in the club’s history that will remain in perpetuity. Not only that he’s also in a very small list of one club players who’ve played at West Ham over the last fifty years. Considering the frequency of player’s club moves, during the Premier League era, the ‘one club man’ feat is all the more impressive.
Away from the pitch Nobes has a reputation as a genuinely decent person. Every fan who I’ve heard from, who have met Nobes, have nothing but positive things to report about their encounters. The example that Nobes sets for young players could not be better. I was listening to Jamie Redknapp on the post match analysis who spoke very highly of ‘Mr West Ham’ while giving the impression that he was proud to call him a close friend. He makes time for everyone and quietly goes about his business, be that for West Ham or work for good causes, without courting publicity. Come to think of it I can’t think of anyone who has met Nobes that has a bad word to say about him. The main point here is that our captain is someone who makes you proud to be associated to West Ham United.
It’s interesting that Nobes is hesitant to commit to the pursuit of a coaching career at West Ham. The reason that he gives is that he is well liked by the fans and would hate for that to change. In essence he cares so much for the club, and the supporters, that it would hurt him grievously to be viewed any other way.
All boiled down I hope that Nobes remains on the playing staff at West Ham for a long time to come. He deserves to see success with West Ham and I want that as much for him as I do for myself and my boys. After all… none of them have ever experienced a major trophy win in their lifetimes.
COYI!