West Ham midfielder Declan Rice admits he views skipper Mark Noble as a role-model.
Discussing his role as stand-in skipper in an interview with The Times, Rice insists the 33-year-old is a massive influence on him even if he's not playing as regularly anymore.
Rice said: "I can't speak highly enough of what Nobes has done for me and for West Ham.
"Even though recently he's not been playing as much, he hasn't changed at all. If anything he's like a proud dad watching me at the moment.
"It's crazy. After I scored for England, Nobes is texting my dad. My dad's messaging me on the way home, going, 'Just spoke to Noble, he thought you were excellent and he was so buzzing about the goal.'
"Nobes didn't even text me. I said to my dad when I got in, 'Were you texting Noble?' 'Yes! We speak all the time!' Nobes definitely got an invite to our Christmas if he wants one.
“He talks to me about things I can improve on. I'm starting to become much more experienced, I've played for England, but even in training now, I'll give him a ball that's on his back foot that he can't do anything with, and he'll tell me, 'I want that on my front foot so I can play the ball there'.
"It's fine details that I take in. He's been amazing."
