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Pundit hopeful Mark Noble appointment at West Ham United isn't just a 'gimmick'
We’re delighted to welcome former West Ham United striker Frank McAvennie as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at the London Stadium…
Frank McAvennie has admitted he doesn’t get why Mark Noble has been appointed as the new sporting director at West Ham but hopes it’s not just a “gimmick”.
The Hammers announced the appointment of club legend Noble in a new behind-the-scenes role following his retirement in the summer, beginning on 2 January 2023.
But the former striker doesn’t understand why the club are waiting until January rather than bringing him in straight away and suggested it could be a sign of more changes to come, while suggesting that Noble’s role hasn’t been properly sorted out yet.
“I don’t know,” he told West Ham Zone. “He’s went to America and done a course. Some say he done Harvard or something, I don’t know. Anyway he’s done a course for this.
“Now I’m all for it. I hope it’s not just a gimmick. Because Mark should be part of the club anyway, doesn’t matter what the position. Just put him there because he’s a one club person and it’s very unlikely in today’s modern football.
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“So you’ve got to give him credit. He loved it in the dressing room, the manager liked him in the dressing room, but sporting director – I don’t know what that entails. I don’t know what that means.
“Is he going to be buying players and bringing them to the club, telling them what it’s all about? Then Mark’s brilliant for that. I thought the sporting director oversaw the scouts and all that. Does the buying and all that kind of stuff. I don’t know if that’s for Mark. I don’t know the boy so I don’t know.
“I was speaking to some players, I was down there during the week and I was speaking to some people at West Ham, and they don’t know what the situation is. Why January? Why not bring him in now? I don’t get it. Unless it’s the new people that are bringing him in.
“So maybe something is going to happen that we don’t know about? But I don’t know.
“Mark Noble should never leave the club. He should be there until he dies, the they stick a statue up for him. He’s that kind of guy. Fair play to him and I’m happy he’s back at West Ham and back in a job.”
Noble confirmed back in May that he had an offer on the table from the club for a behind-the-scenes role, but was considering whether or not to accept it.