Noble backing Cole for World Cup

Published Feb. 26, 2010 6:10 p.m. ET

foxsports

The powerful striker has enjoyed an excellent season and has scored nine Premier League goals for a struggling Hammers side, despite spending almost two months on the sidelines with a knee injury. England manager Fabio Capello is due to name his squad for next week's friendly with Egypt on Saturday evening and Cole will be in contention for a place in the party. The Hammers are not in action this weekend, but Noble believes his team-mate's improvement since his 2006 arrival from Chelsea should still have done enough to impress ahead of Wednesday's friendly and this summer's World Cup. "He just seems to get better all the time," the midfielder told skysports.com when asked about Cole. "The difference between him now and when he first came to the club (is massive). "We knew he had loads of ability, but, I do not know why, he just wasn't showing it. "Now, he is one of the best forwards in the country. He is fantastic for us and I'm sure he will continue to be. I'm sure a seat on the plane to South Africa will be his."