West Ham chief wants new Noble deal done quickly

Friday, September 14, 2012
7:41 AM

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce is hopeful Mark Noble will pen a new deal at Upton Park as he looks to avoid a repeat of the lengthy negotiations with former goalkeeper Robert Green.

Noble’s current deal runs out next summer and talks on a new contract have reportedly been ongoing for some time.

England international goalkeeper Green left West Ham at the end of last season to move to QPR but has since seen his number one spot at Loftus Road threatened by the signing of Julio Cesar.

Allardyce does not envisage such problems with Noble, who is a product of the club’s fabled youth academy, and refuted suggestions his performances could also suffer as negotiations continue.

“Talks have been ongoing since the end of last season and I would have thought they would continue until a conclusion is reached. Hopefully that conclusion will see him sign a new deal,” he said.

“He comes in every day and works hard and he is as happy as any player, particularly after our 3-0 win over Fulham.

“Every player at the club is in a good, positive frame of mind at the moment, so there is no hangover from him not renewing his current deal.”

Green, 32, joined West Ham in 2006 but Allardyce could not tempt the former Norwich goalkeeper into staying at Upton Park despite holding talks throughout the duration of last season.

He said: “I hope it doesn’t get to that, we had a long, arduous contract negotiation with Robert Green which lasted an entire season.

“From probably about the second week I was here it started in Switzerland on the pre-season tour and we tried to negotiation all the way through to the very, very end of the last game at Wembley.

“I had one more go after that and we couldn’t come to striking a deal so I jumped on the back that Jussi (Jaaskelainen) was available and wanted to come.

“So I hope it doesn’t come to that situation, I hope that is something that can be resolved and he stays a West Ham player.”