Wednesday 12 September 2007

The Boy's A Bit Special

Mark Noble is interviewed in 'The Boy's A Bit Special' feature in this month's FourFourTwo magazine...


Mark Noble, West Ham United
Born: London, 8/5/87
Position: Central Midfield

Nickname - Everyone calls me Nobes, they always have done. Some people don't even know my first name.

Club supported as a boy - West Ham. I'm from Canning Town, so naturally all my family are mental West Ham fans. I used to go and watch them with my dad when I was a kid.

Strengths - Passing and tackling. I used to try a few more skills when I broke into the team but I've developed into a holding midfielder these days. I reckon it's my best position now.

Weaknesses - I treat everything as a weakness and work on making it stronger.

I play a bit like - Steven Gerrard or Paul Scholes. They're the guys I've always looked up to.

Highlights - I'm only 20 but I've had a few highlights already. I played 20 minutes in the FA Cup Final but to stay up last season when no one thought we could was amazing.

Lowlights - losing the FA Cup at the last gasp was horrible and that Tottenham game when we lost 4-3 was really shattering, too. But the worse part of my career so far has been having to cope with injury and not being selected in the team. I hate to miss out.

Toughest opponent - Paul Scholes. He's been there and done it all, so inventive and hard to tie down. It's great to test yourself against guys like him.

Best player played with - Last season Carlos Tevez was amazing.

Biggest influence - Teddy Sheringham has always been there with advice. I count him as a friend - though I stay out of his card schools. My dad was another big factor in my progress. He's been there from the moment I first kicked a ball.

Best advice given - I made my debut, played a couple of games then the manager said he was going to rest me. I was a bit down but Chris Powell came over and said to me, "No matter where you are, you always need to be ready". The next game someone got injured and I came on after three minutes. If I'd been sulking I might not have been ready without his advice.

Biggest practical joker - Has to be Bobby Zamora

Latest car - I've got a Rimini red Range Rover Sport with a cream interior.

Flicks - Scarface or Rocky III

Chicks - Kelly Brook

TV programmes - I watch Prison Break but I'm not that big a fan of telly. If I do watch it's usually live sport: golf, tennis, motor racing.

If you hadn't been a footballer... - Oh, Jesus. I'd have probably ended up working with my dad's mates. I don't even like to think about that!

Tell us something we don't know - There's things I don't even know about myself.

With my first pay packet I bought... - A Compaq laptop. I wanted something I could take away, watch DVDs and connect to the internet.

If I could play alongside any player... - It would be Steven Gerrard, he has so much ability and drive.

School report - They weren't bad but me and school just didn't get on.

Describe yourself in five words - Confident, enthusiastic, streetwise, funny. Can I have good-looking?

If I could have one superpower... - To pull any woman. Is that a superpower?

Most embarrassing moment - When West Ham got promoted we were stood up on the balcony at the stadium getting cheered by thousands of fans. As I held up the trophy, one of the boys pulled down my shorts.

In five years time... - I want to break into the senior squad for England and push for Europe with West Ham. That, and stay healthy.

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