Jermain Defoe

File photo dated 04-04-2017 of Sunderland's Jermain Defoe. Former England striker Defoe admits he felt a 'yard off' after scoring zero goals in seven ...

He said he didn’t want to block the way for a younger striker but the sudden nature of his retirement still comes as a shock. He is a shoo-in for the Premier League’s Hall of Fame and you only have to glance at the tributes paid to a player who had the sharpest of scoring instincts to realise what an impact he made. That Sunderland were in contention for automatic promotion when he arrived and are now clinging on to the play-offs tells is own story about how the season has veered off track.

Defoe is the ninth highest scorer in Premier League history, having hit 162 goals in 496 appearances. The well-travelled frontman began his career with West Ham ...

All that I am is because of you, and I owe everything to you and God.” Thank you also to my amazing team-mates, coaches, and staff for playing such an integral part in my career. “I made my professional debut at 17 years old in 1999, and I feel now is the right time to bow out,” continued his post.

JERMAIN DEFOE has announced the decision to retire at the age of 39 following a colourful and prolific career.

While those at the elite level these days are expected to perform a number of different roles in a team, Defoe had one very straightforward one - to get on the ball and try to score. He was regularly accused of selfishness, and on more than one occasion per match would seem to take a shot or try to do it all himself rather than finding a teammate in a better position. In the increasingly toxic modern era of football, it is more and more challenging to find players who are universally adored at every club they go to.

The fairytale ending to Jermain Defoe's Sunderland career simply wasn't to be, and he's decided to retire early. What do you think about the whole ...

I had hoped that in addition to contributing on the pitch, Defoe could do some good in a mentoring role behind the scenes. This decision and its timing would suggest there is something we are not aware of that has led to this outcome. With so little football under his belt this season, the chances of him returning to the club and making a significant impact were always minimal, and seven games later, he has decided to call time on what has undoubtedly been a stellar career. So, I am frustrated that this is not going to happen. It is, quite simply, ‘classic Sunderland’, and hopefully we can all now move on and focus our energy on the season’s end goal. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to support a nice stable club where nothing ever really happens. I would say that a quick look at his track record would suggest he is an honourable hard-working professional who generally handles himself well, on and off the pitch. I do not blame Defoe at all and there is no bad feeling towards him. Why not stick with us, honour your agreement and put a shift in for a few more weeks before returning? Without him, we are well and truly screwed. He will be a big miss in that respect and his legacy will remain I dare say, but his presence on the bench could be a distraction at times and the quicker we all move on now the better - with any luck they’ll be no more bombshells between now and the end of the season and for once we can all focus on the football itself. I also didn’t doubt the club’s reasons for signing him.

The former England striker called time on his career at the age of 39.

Barcelona remembered their revered former player and manager Johan Cruyff on the sixth anniversary of his death. Sergio Aguero toasted his nomination a place in the Premier League Hall of Fame. Sports stars and clubs across the world continue to provide an insight into their lives on social media.

Few players have ever scored five in one match in the Premier League, but only Jermain Defoe has ever had to pay £5000 for the privilege.

“They were pinkish silver ones in the end and I go and score five. “I had a funny feeling before the game,” he said post-match. They might try to get a few more grand out of you. “Wayne Rooney’s fantastic – a complete all-round player – but as a finisher, Defoe is the best out there.” It was a clinical, poaching masterclass in which Defoe needed just nine touches to score five goals. He took one touch to settle himself before firing across the face of the goal and into the far corner. The fifth was a gift. An impressive 20 goals in 57 caps means he is 23rd in England’s list of goalscorers. A strike which sent the ball past the violently orange and baggy shirts of the knackered opposition defence and the flailing Kirkland. Alan Shearer and Andy Cole were the other two. The third? Get caught ‘jaywalking’ in America? Or maybe you stuck five past Wigan Athletic in one game and paid £5000 for it?

He worked as a player/coach under Steven Gerrard at Ibrox but decided to move on after heart-to-heart discussions with Giovanni van Bronckhorst earlier this ...

"Lastly, I want to say thank you to my mum. "I made my professional debut at 17 years old in 1999, and I feel now is the right time to bow out. Announcing the decision, Defoe wrote on Instagram: "After 22 years in the game, I have decided to retire from professional football.

Former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan believes Jermain Defoe should go down the route of coaching following his retirement from professional football.

"At 39 years old, he’s still a young man and he is unaffected by the trappings of his career, his success and the finances that have gone with it. "We need to keep the talent pool that can deal with developing strikers and of course, his ethnicity comes into play because we want to see more black players to get into coaching. And it is for that reason, as well as the way he articulates himself, that Jordan thinks he would be able to pass on his wealth of knowledge to upcoming strikers.

The 39-year-old hangs up his boots after 22 years in the game, playing for seven clubs, including Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United and Sunderland.

All that I am is because f you and I owe everything to you and God.” "Lastly, I want to say thank you to my mum. "After 22 years in the game, I have decided to retire from professional football,” he said.

Defoe rounded off his playing days with a second stint at Sunderland after joining from Rangers in January, making seven appearances before making the ...

On Twitter, Defoe said: “After 22 years in the game, I have decided to retire from professional football. “It's been a really tough ...

“I made my professional debut at 17 years old in 1999, and I feel now is the right time to bow out,” Defoe said. “Football will always remain in my blood, and it gives me great pride and satisfaction to look back on the blessed career that I’ve had. He scored more than 300 senior goals in total across his career.

Jermain Defoe has announced his immediate retirement from football.The 39-year-old signed a short-term deal with former club Sunderland in January until the ...

All that I am is because of you, and I owe everything to you and God.” “I made my professional debut at 17 years old in 1999, and I feel now is the right time to bow out. “Football will always remain in my blood, and it gives me great pride and satisfaction to look back on the blessed careers that I’ve had.

The Black Cats forward wrote his name into Sunderland's history books with memorable goals to secure Premier League survival and a goal against Newcastle that ...

All that I am is because of you, and I owe everything to you and God." Thank you also to my amazing team mates, coaches, and staff for playing such an integral part in my career. Football will always remain in my blood, and it gives me great pride and satisfaction to look back on the blessed career that I've had. In a post on Instagram, Defoe said: "After 22 years in the game, I have decided to retire from professional football. I have had an incredible journey, and have met some amazing people in the game. Defoe struck up a rapport with Sunderland supporters that very few before have been able to achieve and his influence off the pitch should not go unnoticed.

Jermain Defoe called time on his brilliant 22-year playing career on Thursday and immediately joined talkSPORT to reflect on his decision and some of.

The more time that goes on, and you don’t play, it becomes more difficult. Reflecting on that decision, he added: “I just believe it’s the right time. You always want to play at the top level and play for England,” Defoe continued. I still speak to the family now. “You want to win trophies and stuff like that. Went back to Tottenham and loved it, Harry Redknapp signed me again.” to be a single parent and to take me to every game even when the car wouldn’t start sometimes. His family were fantastic from day one and welcomed me with open arms. “From day one, the support from my mum has been unbelievable. “There are so many other moments. The love for the game started from there.” I’d be crying, but didn’t want to make her feel bad.

Former West Ham and England defender Matthew Upson says Jermain Defoe was one of his toughest opponents and has wished the striker well following his ...

Or there are players you think are nailed on to go into management and then decide not to. “There are players that I’ve played with that you remember and you think there is no way they are going to be a coach, and then they retire and become really successful coaches. “He’s not massive in stature but really packed a punch on the pitch in terms of his movement, his ability to cope with contact and then be alive in the box.

Sunderland's Jermain Defoe reacts during the Sky Bet League One match at the Stadium of Light. Sunderland's Jermain Defoe (Image: PA).

That was it the love from the game started there." I used to go to the house and see Bradley and go up to the hospital. "To take it to the next level where I complete my badges would be great. "I just thought it was the right time. Speaking to talkSPORT, Defoe said: "I just believe for me it's the right time. Jermain Defoe claims it was the "right time" to hang up his boots after a 22-year playing career spanning four decades.

His Ibrox impact on the pitch was keenly felt but the veteran's legacy was greater than his goal return in Glasgow.

You can enter once each week to be in with a chance of winning. You always want to play at the top level and play for England,” Defoe yesterday told talkSPORT as he confirmed he was hanging up his boots. “You want to win trophies and stuff like that. For your chance to win HOME tickets to Cinch SPFL matches each week across ALL FOUR divisions just enter our competition below. I tell myself nobody can take that away from me." She still says that and that's why I never worry about stuff.

Former Sunderland forward Jermain Defoe admits he knew he was a yard off the pace in multiple appearances for the League One club during his short second ...

As well as this, he could have continued to provide another much-needed option up top along with Stewart, with the latter now under huge pressure to deliver the goods. This is why his retirement may have come as a surprise to some with the 39-year-old making a respectable seven appearances in under two months during his second spell at the Stadium of Light – and he wouldn’t have received a lack of first-team opportunities from now until the remainder of the season either. The 39-year-old arrived at the Stadium of Light on deadline day to provide competition for Ross Stewart with the club severely lacking in options at the time of his arrival, especially with Nathan Broadhead’s absence causing a real headache.

Sunderland AFC striker Jermain Defoe has announced his retirement from professional football with immediate effect.

I’ve seen first-hand that the club is rebuilding in the right ways and I’ve experienced a talented group of players improving every single day – there is so much potential within the squad and I firmly believe that Alex and the boys will go on to earn promotion this season. Returning to the Stadium of Light was truly special and playing in front of the Sunderland supporters one last time is something that I will cherish forever, so my gratitude is with Kyril and the many others that made it happen. Upon announcing his retirement, Defoe said: “This wasn’t an easy decision, but after discussing it at length with those closest to me, I feel now is the right time to bow out.

Sunderland manager Lee Johnson was sacked by the club's board because of their concerns with results and not because of any dispute regarding Jermain Defoe…

Despite recent criticisms of the board and supporters have every right to do so, they can be commended for dismissing Johnson because of results and not because of a dispute between the board and the manager. This should be good news for the League One side’s fans – because making a big decision like a sacking based on such a small issue such as not signing a player would have been a damning insight into how decisions are made. This was much to the displeasure of some of the third-tier side’s supporters who wanted to see the forward return for one last spell at the Stadium of Light following a successful first stint there.