Ally McCoist admits he made error when judging Declan Rice for West Ham
Ally McCoist has admitted he may have got it wrong when initially judging West Ham midfielder Declan Rice as just a holding midfielder.
Rice has become a key man for both the Hammers and the England national team in midfield and this season has shown an ability to get forward more than in previous seasons.
Now McCoist, who was talking on talkSPORT’s Breakfast Show [March 28, 6:41am], has admitted he’s got more to his game than just as a holding midfielder and praised him as a ‘joy to watch’.
“He’s just a joy to watch, watching his progress,” he said.
“For myself and a lot of people, very much with the Euros his success would come in a holding role in the middle of the park. But he looks as though he’s getting more than that, he looks as though he’s getting forward.
“He’s got a kind of gallop, you know he doesn’t look really fast but he’s got a kind of gallop that helps him cover the ground that makes him look really, really difficult to get away from.
“But at the same time he’s got that power and strength to get away from people.”
World class
Rice has been a shining light in a brilliant season for West Ham this season and it’s fair to say he is indispensable for both club and country at this point.
Whether he is still a West Ham player when the World Cup comes around at the end of the year is an entirely different question, but the progress he’s made over the years is clear for all to see.
He’s taken on more responsibility in the team with each performance and has added bows to his game, becoming a more frequent forward passer and a player who breaks the lines with his dribbling too.
It’s been a great showing from him but also a testament to how hard he works, and there is no limit to what he could go on to become in the future.
At just 23-years-old, Rice has a massive future and it’s good to see even ex-pros admitting they got it wrong with him initially.
In other West Ham news, talkSPORT pundit says West Ham ace has World Cup place ‘locked in’.
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