SHOCKING NEWS;West Ham has  appointed Jermain Defoe as new manager and Graham Potter replacement

INTERVIEW: Jermain Defoe is ready for his next step in management following roles at Rangers and within Tottenham’s academy setup but he does not know where or when his opportunity will emerge

Jermain Defoe is ready to cut his teeth in management – but he’s already faced multiple job rejections due to his “lack of experience.” The ex-England striker left Spurs’ academy setup last summer to pursue his next coaching venture, however, opportunities have proven few and far between.

Defoe revealed: “Harry Redknapp messaged me the other day and said ‘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’ve 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 had been in deep discussions with Northampton Town before Kevin Nolan pipped him to the League One vacancy last December. Former Sunderland coach Paul Bracewell, who Defoe worked under during his time at the Stadium of Light, has already agreed to form part of the 42-year-old’s backroom staff when he eventually lands a position.

At the beginning of the season, only two BME managers were in jobs within England’s top four domestic leagues (from 92 clubs).