Speaking exclusively with BOYLE Sports former West Ham United defender James Collins gives his perspective on whether Declan Rice is one of the world's best, if he can finally land the Premier League this season and if he could return to the Hammers to retire at the end of his career.
Collins also discusses what Premier League icon is most similar to Haaland and whether Grealish and Moyes can catapult Everton into European Football and whether Liverpool's new attackers will come good.
Elsewhere, the former centre-back has spoken about whether Ruben Amorim has now turned the corner at Manchester United and if his former club can keep hold of Unai Emery amid speculation of interest from other clubs.
Declan Rice
Declan Rice: The World's Best?
I wouldn't disagree with Declan Rice being called the best midfielder in the world. I was lucky enough, and still am lucky enough, to know Dec. He's such a great player and a man, for starters. Everyone who speaks to him agrees he's a great lad, truly. He has a really good family around him, is very down-to-earth, and is still learning, if you like. I think we all forget how early on he is in his career; he's still quite a young man. But I think if you ask anyone at West Ham, certainly if Mark Noble was sitting next to me now, having this conversation, we all saw it. We saw it in him.
You could see the player he was going to be. It's just great to see him go on. And I think you look at every game, certainly in Champions League games, he seems head and shoulders above everyone he plays against and comes up against.
He's really gone for big money. Well, if he's the best midfielder in the world, maybe it wasn't such big money, but he's a great lad and he's doing really well. He's still learning and wants to learn; that's the beauty about him. And, with the threat of repeating myself, Dec is a little bit old-school as well. He trains really hard; he trains like he plays in every session.”
Rice Retirement
For the fans, it might be nice, but obviously, it's a long time away. A long time away, but I'd carry him back then. Honestly, I think the world of Dec as a man and as a player, if he could go back, I think it'd be a nice little story for him.
I think he would, and we're talking years and years in the future, hopefully, he goes on and absolutely smashes it and wins trophies because he really is that player. What a great story, the fairytale of going back to West Ham one day and doing well there again.
So you never know, but he's got huge games, a long career in front of him before he starts thinking like that. And like I said, it couldn't happen to a nicer boy. He really is a top, top man.
Premier League Dream
If it's not this year, you've got to start thinking when will it be, to be honest. I think this year, Arsenal will probably go on and do it. I'm sure they'll get a bit shaky. You can never write Man City off.
They've been there, done it, and they're looking good again. But I think, like I said, if Arsenal don't do it this year, they'll start having a bit of a worry. But yeah, they look strong. I'd never write City off, but if you're looking at it on paper, you've got to say it's got to be Arsenal's year this year.
Erling Haaland
Haaland: The Latest Didier Drogba!
Well, I've got to admit. I'm glad I'm sat here speaking to you rather than marking him. Over the years, I've had this conversation with a lot of ex-players, ex-centre halves about how you would mark him. The closest player I could think of that was similar to that was Didier Drogba when I was playing, and this is going to sound strange. Didier was that good, and Haaland's the same.
I think you've just got to pray they have an off day. That they're not quite on it. They're that good. Haaland's that good. He's that big, quick, strong. Doesn't mind putting in the hard yards, running the channels, and obviously, his finishing is second to none. So yeah, it'd be tough.
You could sit here and talk through tactics of what you do, but I think it's just generally hope he has an off day and you do all right against him because he really is far and above anyone at the minute in my eyes, as a centre forward.
Everton FC
Assessing Grealish To Everton
Jack Grealish is a tremendous player. There's no doubt about it. And I don't think there's a better manager around than David Moyes for him. There's no doubt if anyone can get the best out of a player, it'd be David Moyes. And I've seen that, you know, with my own eyes and witnessed it on the training pitch. And I think that's what Jack needed. Jack needed a manager who believed in him, who could get the best out of him.
And like I said, if David Moyes, knowing him as a manager, can handle that sort of player. He's a bit old school in his approach, maybe with players, but a tremendous man manager. And I think Jack's that sort of player, needs an arm around him. He needs to be the main man, and there's no doubt about it, and he is that at Everton. I think he's been great since he's gone in, playing at that new stadium, a lovely new arena for him to really impress the fans.
I think it's a great, great mix. David Moyes and Jack Grealish, David's getting the best out of Jack. And I can imagine Jack would love working for David Moyes because he's a top manager, like I said, really good man management. And unless you enjoy your football when you're that sort of player.
Can Moyes Take Everton To Europe?
Well, he's certainly got form for it, David Moyes. The sort of fairy tale of him going back to Everton and getting them back in Europe, it'd be an amazing story. “He’s a top manager at the new ground. It looks fantastic, it's probably a stadium similar to West Ham that deserves European football.
So there's no reason not to, they've got the right manager, they've got the players. So yeah, I could certainly see Everton pushing on and getting near those European places, and sort of getting the club back to where it was all those years ago when Moyes had them the first time, which is a huge football club and, like I mentioned, a beautiful new stadium that deserves European football.
Liverpool FC
Isak or Ekitike?
They are different players. Alexander Isak, for me, is probably a more out-and-out goalscorer. He runs the channels and is an out-and-out goalscorer. To be honest, I wouldn't fancy playing against either of them. Both on their day are top players.
It's a bit of a strange one up at Liverpool, as neither of them are firing on all cylinders. I wouldn't fancy marking either, but I'd pick one of those two over Erling Haaland, probably Isak over Haaland. It's a bit of a conundrum for Liverpool, what they've got to do with these two lads.
Florian Wirtz
He's a world-class player, no doubt about it. You can tell that by the price tag. But it does take time. The Premier League is a very physical league. Even since I played, it has changed a lot, but it's still very physical. It takes time just to get used to the football, the city, the manager, and the football club. So, there's no doubt he's going to be a top player.
We've seen it with other top players who have come into the Premier League; they struggle initially. I think it's just a matter of time. Before long, he'll find his feet, and we'll see the player we know is in there.
Race For Europe
Ruben Amorim
It couldn't get a lot worse, could it, for them, to be honest? They were getting stick from all angles for the way they were playing in the press and things like that.
It does look like they've turned the corner. There's no doubt about it. Manchester United is still a huge football club and still probably one of the biggest in the world. The last few years have been a big struggle for them, sort of on and off the pitch, if you like. But yeah, they seem to have turned the corner. I wouldn't question that you would see them move up the table and sort of looking towards the Champions League spots.
I think they're that good. They've got the players there that have turned it on now. So you never know, with United. They've been sort of not the team that everyone knows they have been for a long time. So hopefully, they can move up the table, and we see them towards the Champions League spots.
Keeping Hold Of Unai Emery
Look what he's done at Villa. He's been absolutely superb. Maybe not the start of this season, perhaps it has been a little bit slow, but getting that club into the Champions League and doing what he's done... Aston Villa fans won't thank me for this, but I could see him moving on.
He's had a little dabble at it with bigger clubs, but I think the way he is and the way he manages his teams, I could see him at a really big club. Like I said, Villa fans won't be too happy, but it wouldn't surprise me if one of the big boys came looking for him.
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