Declan Rice is on the threshold of a long England career, says Mark Noble

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Looking ahead | Mark Noble says Declan Rice can have a long career with England
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Mark Noble15 March 2019

Declan Rice’s call-up for England’s next two Euro qualifiers has delighted us all here.

It would have been a big surprise had Gareth Southgate not picked Declan and I am sure that, should he hopefully steer clear of injuries, he is on the threshold of a long international career.

His profile will rise appreciably but I’ve no worries about Declan. He won’t get carried away — he knows there will be some tough times ahead but I am sure he will cope.

I don’t think his call-up will faze him one bit. He’ll be nervous but that’s a good thing.

He’s played more than 50 Premier League games and for the Republic of Ireland against France on the big stage. He knows what it’s like and it’s not as if he’s being thrown straight in the deep end.

Playing with better players makes you better. You thrive on that.

Playing with top players at West Ham — and when I represented the England Under-21 team — made me a better player because people are on your wavelength.

Declan’s only 20 — younger than the great Bobby Moore was when he made his senior international debut — but there is no chance he will freeze or be starstruck.

A few years ago, when Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, John Terry — big characters, big personalities — were in the England team, Declan might have been a little overawed but the game has changed a lot even in that short time.

Gareth has brought in a lot of younger players, people that Declan might well have played against in younger age-group competitions, so the culture seems a lot different to how it was. The timing looks good for him, too.

It’s been an upward curve for Declan this season and he’s broken into the England squad when they’re also going the right way.

That’s important for a new recruit because it can be really hard if you go into a squad and a team who aren’t playing well and the fans are on them.

The best compliment I can pay Declan is that he may be a 20-year-old kid but he has a 30-year-old’s head on his shoulders.

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He acts like a youngster around the training ground but when he gets out there on that pitch, he’s different.

Any comparisons with Moore are unfair as we will only be able to judge the two when Declan retires.

Bobby lifted the World Cup and won 108 caps for his country.

Pele said he was the greatest defender he played against — and it was an entirely different era.

Bobby is one of the greatest England players ever — Declan is just starting out on his international career.

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