Former West Ham fitness coach Felix Fernández has hailed Mark Noble, labelling the midfielder’s commitment as ‘exemplary’.
Fernández was part of Manuel Pellegrini’s backroom staff at the London Stadium, joining the club alongside the Chilean boss when he arrived from Hebei China Fortune in 2016.
He departed the club alongside Pellegrini back in December, when the Hammers elected to make a change and bring back David Moyes.
Nonetheless, he thoroughly enjoyed his time in England and, when asked, was keen to praise Noble.
“Being part of the Premier has been a spectacular experience,” he told One Football.
“I consider it the best competition in the world and not only in the physical section but in many other things that I consider important”.
“Mark is a player who knows how to measure himself very well. Know your body.
“Also, to that, you have to add that it is one of those cases of true captain, of exemplary commitment. In the year and a half that I have been there, he must have missed three training sessions.”
When it comes to physical condition, though, it was not the West Ham captain who sat at the top of the pile for Fernández.
Instead, that honour belongs to two surprising names, Robert Snodgrass and summer signing Pablo Fornals who explains were ‘more special’ in than their Hammers teammates.
“Well, two names that have surprised me a lot have been Fornals and Robert Snodgrass.
“Sure they are two players not as physically spectacular as Michael Antonio or Felipe Anderson, but more difficult to find for the people who are dedicated to this.
“It is easy to distinguish two profiles of soccer players: one of continuous sprint distances but less total exercise load and others that stand out for doing 12-13 kilometres per match.
“Their case was a mixture of the two. Endurance players and many kilometres and at the same time high sprint distances around 1km above 22-23 km / h, achieving that is not easy.
“Normally you are from one profile or another, so these players for a physical trainer are more special.”
At the other end of that scale sits Jack Wilshere, a player who it is fair to say is not at the top of any fitness charts.
Injury problems have beset the former Arsenal midfielder during his time at West Ham, an issue that has followed him from his time at the Emirates.
Fernández is one of many who have failed to solve the issue, and Fernández says the 28-year-old’s history plays its part.
“In the end, Jack’s day to day is marked by his past and all the problems he has had,” he added.
“His own doctors already agree with you on the way he works, and you have to adapt to it.
“Jack, in his case, could not train 2-3 days in a row with high volumes of high load or high impact. In his case, it was important to alternate in weekly planning.
“Always in the middle of the week, he had a day with an active rest adapted to him without impact load.”
