Harry Redknapp previously told Jermain Defoe that the former Tottenham and England striker would make a “fantastic” manager, but now he is about to find out.
Defoe was a player-coach in the academies of Rangers and Spurs before stepping into his first management role with Woking in the National League.
The 43-year-old has been looking for opportunities since leaving Tottenham in 2024, picking the brains of Redknapp, Gareth Southgate, Lee Carsley, Robbie Keane and Sam Allardyce to earn his UEFA A license.
But while former England team-mates Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney have moved on to top-flight jobs, Defoe, who scored 20 goals in 57 appearances for his country, is looking to take a different path in the fifth tier.
“My mother always told me that in life you should be grateful for every opportunity you have,” DeFoe said. “Everyone’s journey is different and I sat down with Lee Carsley and Gareth Southgate to talk about their journeys in the game.
“If you look at[Jurgen]Klopp’s journey so far, when he was pushed into management it kind of fell into his lap in a way. It was the same with Gareth. But for me, I think it’s important to be grateful for the opportunity and it’s no different when you’re a player.”
“When I was 16 and in the West Ham youth team, you have to qualify, you have to do an apprenticeship. You can’t just expect me to go straight to the top or get a big job just because I’ve had a good career.”
Defoe played under Harry Redknapp at West Ham and Tottenham.
Defoe is the Premier League’s all-time leading scorer with 162 goals in 496 appearances, and was called up to represent England in three major competitions.
He won the League Cup with Tottenham and the Scottish Premiership with Steve Gerrard’s Rangers, but despite interviewing at several clubs, landing a management job is still not easy.
Defoe always believed he would get his chance, but as he takes charge of Friday’s first game against Eastleigh and the second at Braintree Town just three days later, he is under no illusions that his failure at non-league level will be a huge setback.
“I know there’s been a lot of noise around it,” Defoe said of his appointment. “I’ve had unbelievable messages from players I’ve played with, current players, coaches and everyone involved in the game. It feels good, but the reality is we have to win football games.”
“I’m going to need help too. You come in to help a group of players develop and win games, but the manager needs help as well.
“I’ve never played at this level. I know people who have played. I have a lot of game buddies who have played at this level and I’ve talked to them recently. I’ve worked with and talked to some coaches who have played at this level.
“As someone who loves football, it was an easy decision when this opportunity came up. This is what really stood out to me regarding this project.”
“It’s always going to be a gamble when you talk to any manager, no matter the league or standard.”
Defoe scored 162 goals in the Premier League.
Defoe still speaks with former Tottenham and West Ham manager Redknapp and visits former Ferencvaros teammate Keane to watch him train on his way to becoming a manager.
He will be supported by former Stoke, Sunderland and Newcastle midfielder Paul Bracewell, with whom he worked through Tottenham’s academy. They all contributed to this moment.
“Lee Kearsley was really honest about what it was like when he first started coaching,” DeFoe said. “He knew he had to improve. He had to surround himself with good people. That’s going to help, especially if it’s your first job.”
“And it’s important to be humble. Just because you’re a top player doesn’t guarantee you’ll be the best manager in the world, it doesn’t guarantee you know everything.”
Allardyce, with whom Defoe played for Sunderland, sent him a message of good luck this week. He may need it at Woking, who have never been in the EFL in their 139-year history, are on the verge of taking office in July 2024 and have sacked three managers in three years.
The slowest was Neil Ardley in early March, when a shock defeat in the FA Trophy at Marine after a series of poor performances marked a breaking point for a disgruntled fan base that had been in a relegation battle for two seasons.
Defoe played under and was coached by Steven Gerrard at Rangers.
Player and goalkeeping coach Craig Ross and player and fitness coach Jake Hyde bought time for the club to find a replacement and led the club to a resurgence with four wins and four draws from nine games, taking the club to 10th place in the National League.
“I sent a message to Craig last night saying it’s great to meet you, you’re such a nice, humble guy,” Dafoe said.
“He sent me a message saying, ‘Thank you Gaffer.’ It was a little strange to be treated like that, but I really enjoyed it.”
American businessman Todd Johnson rescued Woking from previous owner Drew Volpe in early 2025. Volpe needed a £600,000 loan from his parents to enable the club to start the 2024/25 season after losing control of club spending.
Johnson has introduced a more structured approach by hiring director of football Jody Brown, who will work closely with Defoe on recruitment. However, their playing budget is much lower than the former Football League clubs currently sitting in the top end, but that does not detract from their ambitions.
“The main goal is to get promoted,” Defoe said. “I believe that me and the coaching staff think we can go to the next level.”
Harry Kewell, Troy Deeney and Edgar Davids are all former top pros who tried their hand at the lower leagues but failed. Will Defoe be able to buck this trend?
“I remember towards the end of my career Harry said to me, ‘You would be a great person if you didn’t become a manager. How much you loved football and always gave of yourself.’
“This is what I’ve always wanted.”
