Mark Noble returned to Upton Park this week following his
three-month loan spell at Ipswich Town, and admits that he is now
desperate to make the step-up to regular Premiership
football.
The 19-year-old midfielder made 13 appearances while at Portman Road, and believes that the experience has helped to prepare him for the rigours of senior football every week now that he is back with the Hammers.
"I really enjoyed being at Ipswich," he says. "It was great just playing first team football every week and getting some experience under my belt.
"Ipswich play football the right way and the manager, Jim Magilton, was all about passing the ball through midfield, so that suited me down to the ground. I played all across the midfield and, although we had some up and down results, the team were playing well for the most part.
"I've come back to West Ham a better player, more mature, and I just want to carry on learning now that I'm back here.
"I think I'm ready to play in the Premiership if I get the opportunity, but I know that first I've got to work hard and perform in training to prove to the manager that I deserve a chance."
It's now almost 12 months since Mark first burst on to the Premiership scene with two impressive performances in the space of seven days against Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United, when he matched the likes of Paul Scholes and Alan Smith in a feisty midfield battle.
However, a troublesome back injury prevented the Hammers youngster from continuing his progress, and he also admits that his chance probably arrived just a touch too early.
"If I'm honest, I don't think I was ready for it when I came into the team last year," he says. "It went well for me in the first couple of games, but I had a few back problems and I probably didn't have the experience to cope with it.
"That was more than a year ago, though, and I have progressed a lot as a player and as a person since then.
"You learn from playing games, and being involved every week with Ipswich has made me fitter, stronger, and ready to make the next step.
"Alan Pardew has just told me to come back here and work hard to get myself an opportunity with the first team. If I get my chance, then I'll be determined to take it."
And finally, Mark admits that noise levels in the Upton Park dressing-room are guaranteed to raise a few decibels now that he is back in town.
"Yeah, it's great to be back among the lads again," he smiles. "I'm a loud character and I like to get involved with all the banter, so I'll be letting them all know that I'm back!"
The 19-year-old midfielder made 13 appearances while at Portman Road, and believes that the experience has helped to prepare him for the rigours of senior football every week now that he is back with the Hammers.
"I really enjoyed being at Ipswich," he says. "It was great just playing first team football every week and getting some experience under my belt.
"Ipswich play football the right way and the manager, Jim Magilton, was all about passing the ball through midfield, so that suited me down to the ground. I played all across the midfield and, although we had some up and down results, the team were playing well for the most part.
"I've come back to West Ham a better player, more mature, and I just want to carry on learning now that I'm back here.
"I think I'm ready to play in the Premiership if I get the opportunity, but I know that first I've got to work hard and perform in training to prove to the manager that I deserve a chance."
It's now almost 12 months since Mark first burst on to the Premiership scene with two impressive performances in the space of seven days against Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United, when he matched the likes of Paul Scholes and Alan Smith in a feisty midfield battle.
However, a troublesome back injury prevented the Hammers youngster from continuing his progress, and he also admits that his chance probably arrived just a touch too early.
"If I'm honest, I don't think I was ready for it when I came into the team last year," he says. "It went well for me in the first couple of games, but I had a few back problems and I probably didn't have the experience to cope with it.
"That was more than a year ago, though, and I have progressed a lot as a player and as a person since then.
"You learn from playing games, and being involved every week with Ipswich has made me fitter, stronger, and ready to make the next step.
"Alan Pardew has just told me to come back here and work hard to get myself an opportunity with the first team. If I get my chance, then I'll be determined to take it."
And finally, Mark admits that noise levels in the Upton Park dressing-room are guaranteed to raise a few decibels now that he is back in town.
"Yeah, it's great to be back among the lads again," he smiles. "I'm a loud character and I like to get involved with all the banter, so I'll be letting them all know that I'm back!"