Simon Jordan and talkSPORT guest clash in heated debate over West Ham star Mark Noble
Simon Jordan and Trevor Sinclair came head-to-head in a heated debate over West Ham captain Mark Noble on talkSPORT on Wednesday.
On Tuesday [15 February], the Daily Mail reported that the Irons are in talks over an executive role for the soon-to-be-retired midfielder, 34, in order to keep him on board.
However, Jordan believes that Noble’s public criticism over West Ham’s owners in the past means it may not be the best role for him.
Sinclair clearly disagrees.
“I can’t concur with Trevor’s view that he’s been helpful in the relationship between the owners and the fans because if that’s the kind of help that he wants then I don’t know what kind of help…,” said Jordan before was interrupted by Sinclair.
He then barged in to say: “It’s integrity because he’s seen the problems that are happening at the club and he’s…”
Jordan then butted on Sinclair as the debate around Noble got heated. The ex-Crystal Palace owner said: “What he said was it was unfortunate last year about the departure of Grady Diangana to West Bromwich Albion. He had a lot to say about it and he was wrong.
“Neither the player nor the club that he went to prospered and West Ham did so the decision that was made by the manager and the owners [was justified], much to the chagrin of the fans because whatever Gold and Sullivan do that fans don’t like will bring them back into the territory of being vilified.
“I don’t think Mark Noble had any right. Of course, if he wants to represent the fans and if he wants to make the popular decision and play to the gallery, yes, he had every right to say something.”
Sinclair and Jordan then kept on talking over one another. Sinclair admitted it hasn’t worked out at West Brom for Diangana and Jordan said: “He was wrong because West Ham finished sixth last year.”
Sinclair then fired back saying: “But you look at the players that have been integrated within the West Ham side this year that have done well.”
Finishing off the back-and-forth, Jordan added: “But he was wrong about this particular player and what he perhaps should’ve done was keep his mouth shut and understand who pays his wages and who he works for.”
Club legend – like it or not
Noble has been on the books at West Ham since 2000, spending all of his senior player playing for the East London club aside from a couple of loan spells when he was young.
The ex-England Under-21 international has played 540 times in all competitions for the Hammers.
He’s played for us in the Premier League, in the Championship and in the Europa League. Like it or not, Jordan, he’s a legend of this great football club.
Jordan’s talking about Noble as though him speaking out against the owners is a regular occurrence when really, it was one isolated incident that clearly annoyed the midfielder as well as the fanbase.
In hindsight, selling Diangana to West Brom was the right decision because he’s been an expensive flop in the Black Country. However, it doesn’t mean that the anger at the time was unjustified.
Noble spoke out because he loves West Ham. He is West Ham.
And that’s why it would be so important to keep him at the club because not one person on the board understands the club quite the way he does.
In other West Ham news, Gary Lineker shared a two-word reaction to the controversy in the draw at Leicester.