Defoe: I want to be a boss... but my lack of experience holds me back

JERMAIN DEFOE is ready to cut his teeth in management - but he's already faced multiple job rejections due to his “lack of experience”.

- BY RYAN TAYLOR

The former England striker left Tottenham's academy set-up last summer to pursue his next coaching venture, but opportunities have proven few and far between.

Defoe (above) said: “Harry Redknapp messaged me the other day and asked, 'When am I going to see you on the touchline?’ and I said, 'Boss, I'm trying'.

“A lot of the feedback I get is the same, it's about my experience.

“Clubs respect your playing career, but a lot of them say, 'You don’t have the experience, we want somebody that's managed in League One or the Championship’.

“I have to be honest, it's frustrating because I played at the top level for 23 years and I know I've not managed, but I played 800 games and I've got a team behind me with all the experience that you need that's ready to go.

“You can only gain that experience by getting the opportunity.

“Harry Redknapp at West Ham never said to me, 'You won't play because you've got no experience’ - he played me and I kicked on from there.”

Defoe was in deep discussions with League One side Northampton Town before Kevin Nolan pipped him to the role.