Jermain Defoe claims he was “forced” into unwanted Rangers gig before retirement
Jermain Defoe says he was “forced” into a player/coach role at Rangers prior to Giovanni van Bronckhorst authorizing his pre-retirement departure to Sunderland.
Between January 2019 and December 2022, the now-41-year-old English striker spent three years at Rangers and made a significant impact on the team.
Jermain Defoe, who was first signed by Steven Gerrard on loan, played a crucial part in the side that won 55 games and captured the hearts of Rangers supporters.
During his conversation on quitting the world of soccer, the former striker for West Ham, Tottenham, and Portsmouth asserts that he felt compelled to take on a coaching position at Ibrox.
Jermain Defoe was “forced” to join the Rangers.
Speaking on the Football Firsts podcast, which the former striker and Troy co-host starting at 5:05
Jermain Defoe has been talking about leaving the Rangers, Deeney.
In January 2022, Defoe would leave Rangers for Sunderland in an attempt to play one more game before turning to coaching at Ibrox.
Jermain Defoe, who was given a player/coach role for the 21–22 season, says he didn’t really want to go down this path with the Rangers.
Following manager Steven Gerrard’s departure to Aston Villa, Defoe spoke with Giovanni van Bronckhorst before deciding to join the Black Cats.
“I hadn’t played in about two or three months before I went to Sunderland,” Defoe stated. Following Stevie Gerrard’s departure, Giovanni van Bronckhorst entered. During our encounter, he essentially told me, “Listen, what’s this player/coach?”
“I saw you were sharp in training. Could you tell me what’s going on? Are you more interested in coaching than in playing?
“I want to play, I said. To tell the truth, I had no desire to be a coach or player at all. I was made to do it. Thus, I chose to travel to Sunderland.
Striker forced to retire after moving to Sunderland
Jermain Defoe continued by talking about his decision to retire from the game, which he made just three months after leaving Rangers.
His second spell at the Stadium Light was short-lived, he claimed, as Sunderland lost their mental battle and failed to live up to their promise of game time.
The striker adds that he feels guilty for maybe obstructing younger players’ paths.
The striker adds that his decision was influenced by guilt at possibly obstructing the road for younger players when he wasn’t performing up to par.
“Alex Neil, please come in. To be completely honest, what I was promised just never materialized,” Defoe remarked. “I believe the manager simply disregarded everything I was told by those in higher positions.”
“I recall thinking about exercising because of how my body was feeling at the time.
I was limited because I had pulled a hamstring, which made me angry at the aches and pains. I was also thinking, “I don’t know if I can do this.”
Additionally, there were a few other youthful forwards within the structure, and I believed
If I’m feeling this way, which I have never felt before, it seems like I’m obstructing someone else’s path merely by virtue of my name.
“I decided that this wasn’t right and that there wasn’t any purpose for me to be here, so I just called my mother and said, ‘That’s me done.'”
During his stellar tenure with the Rangers, Jermain Defoe made 74 appearances, contributing 10 assists and 32 goals.
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