West Ham United: Mark Noble reveals text message conversation with Roma chief Tiago Pinto
Mark Noble has revealed he has asked Roma’s sporting director Tiago Pinto for advice since taking up his new role at West Ham.
Coincidentally, the Daily Mail, (pg.114, 28 January) had earmarked the Hammers as a potential destination for Roma boss Jose Mourinho, who is understood to be eager to return to the Premier League.
However, Noble has instead been reaching out to sporting directors across Europe in an effort to learn more about his position at the London Stadium.
“I’ve spoken to Tiago [Pinto] at Roma and Paul Mitchell at Monaco,” said the former West Ham captain (Evening Standard, 7 February).
“There’s been a few. They’ve texted and said if you need any advice, come out and see how it’s done. In terms of being a technical director, these boys have a lot more experience than me, so why wouldn’t I want to get better?”
Learn on the job
Noble’s new role at the club has been a case of the 35-year-old learning on the job. He wasn’t afforded the chance to really step away after his retirement, and he doesn’t seem to be the type of person who would want to be away from the professional game for too long.
It’s also not a surprise to see the West Ham skipper reach out for advice from some of Europe’s elite sporting directors. The role is certainly becoming more commonplace and essential in the modern game.
Management is becoming centred around coaching, and the technical side of the game, with technical and sporting directors helping drive a long-term vision in terms of recruitment and youth sections.
It will certainly be interesting to see how Noble progresses with the role in the coming years. His job is focused on long-term success, which could mean it’s a while before we start seeing the rewards of his hard work behind the scenes.