The Tottenham hero had taken up a role as U18s coach following his retirement from football in 2022 but has now left his post in order to progress his managerial career.
Tottenham welcomed Defoe back to Hotspur Way with open arms back in August of 2022. Defoe had only retired weeks before rejoining Tottenham in a role the club described as club ambassador as well as a member of the academy coaching staff. (Tottenham Hotspur)
Spurs’ former number 18 was widely appreciated as one of the club’s great strikers in modern times, netting 143 times in 363 games, placing him 5th in Spurs’ all-time top goal scorer list. (TransferMarkt)
As a coach of the under-18s, Defoe coached plenty of exciting academy talent, some of whom Tottenham fans have high hopes for in the forthcoming season.
Tyrese Hall and Mikey Moore are the two most notable names, with both replying to Defoe’s leaving announcement with a white heart to display their gratitude to their former coach.
Defoe on the morning of the 17th of July has announced that he will not continue as a Tottenham academy coach next season, ending his two-year experience back with the club. (@IamJermainDefoe on Instagram)
The former striker’s statement read, “Today I leave this incredible club, and I want to say thank you to all the amazing people in the building who have helped me learn and grow.”
Fellow academy coaches Paul Bracewell, Stuart Lewis, Nigel Gibbs, Bradley Allen and U21’s manager, Wayne Burnett. Defoe also credited one of the club’s top directors, Donna Cullen, for bringing him back to Hotspur Way.
Expressing his love for the club Defoe stated, “Spurs will always hold a special place in my heart and the fans already know how much the club means to me.
“However, now is the right time for me to move on and shape the rest of my coaching and managerial career, nevertheless I will forever remember my time at Spurs fondly.”
Spurs Web opinion
Defoe is one of the best Premier League strikers of his era, proven by his membership with the Premier League’s 100 club and Tottenham fans will likely see the rewards of his work with 16-year-old Mikey Moore in the coming years.
The 41-year-old was renowned for his impeccable finishing and it’s likely to be a miss, especially to the club’s young strikers, to not have someone of such experience coaching them in future years, although all Spurs fans will hope Jermain’s coaching career reaches its next level, potentially returning one day as Tottenham’s head coach.
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