West Ham United icon Mark Noble revealed a rather amusing incident involving former teammate Joe Hart and current West Ham and England star Declan Rice.
During a training session in the 2017/18 season, Rice’s confidence got the better of him, leading to an unexpected confrontation with the veteran goalkeeper.
Noble, who is now the sporting director at West Ham after retiring as a player last season, shared the story during an interview with Fozcast – The Ben Foster Podcast.
He explained how the incident unfolded and shed light on the competitive spirit that existed within the team.
According to Noble, the training session involved a shooting drill where the coach would deliver a ball to the players who would then take a touch before attempting to score.
At the time, Rice was just 19 years old and had already showcased his talent with a powerful strike that left Hart diving in vain.
Following his successful attempt, Rice cheekily remarked, “Harty, one day son,” implying that he would continue to outsmart the experienced goalkeeper. This seemingly harmless comment, however, triggered a surprising reaction from Hart.
In response to Rice’s confident remark, Hart warned him, “Dec, if you say that again, I’m going to [beat you up].” It appeared that Hart was not one to take such banter lightly, especially from a young player like Rice.
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True to his word, Rice later had another opportunity to strike the ball during the drill. With a mischievous grin on his face, he delivered the same remark, “one day, Harty,” which instantly set off a chain of events that nobody could have anticipated.
Joe Hart abandoned his goal and chased Rice across the pitch, leaving the young midfielder with no choice but to sprint towards the tunnel.
The pursuit continued throughout the London Stadium, with Hart eventually catching up to Rice and playfully “beating him up,” as Noble described it.
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Noble went on to praise Hart’s character, describing him as both strong and “mad” in a lighthearted manner.
Having played alongside Hart for various England age groups, Noble commended him as a top individual, albeit one with a fierce competitive streak.
Since that incident, Rice has grown into a pivotal figure at West Ham, assuming the role of captain following Noble’s retirement.
