West Ham youngster Declan Rice has insisted he will continue to push for opportunities in the first team despite falling out of the favour of manager Slaven Bilic in recent weeks.
Rice, 18, featured prominently in Bilic’s side at the start of the new campaign, however has since been confined the bench, with the Croatian preferring both Mark Noble and Pedro Obiang, as well as the returning Manuel Lanzini, in the middle of the park instead.
Despite slipping away from the first team, Rice believes he can work his way back into Bilic’s plans this season and insists he will keep doing his best to prove his worth to the boss.
“With Nobes and Cheik available and Pedro back from injury, I know there will be big competition for places, but I hope to be named in the squad. It’ll be special to go back there and see the place where I made my debut again.” Rice told whufc.com.
“I am still only 18 and, at the start of the season, I never would have expected to play as much as I have already, so I know my game-time is going to be limited with all the great players we have got in the squad.
“But I’m not one to sit back and I’m going to keep trying to get back in that team again.”
