Defoe reveals Redknapp, Allardyce and Shearer all reached out after his Woking appointment

Jermain Defoe has revealed that Harry Redknapp, Sam Allardyce and Alan Shearer were among the high-profile names to reach out following his appointment as Woking manager in late March — a role that marks the former England striker’s first steps into football management.

Defoe, who scored 162 Premier League goals before retiring in 2022, said both Redknapp and Allardyce contacted him before he had even officially taken the job. “I spoke to Harry before I got the job. I also spoke to Big Sam before I got the job,” Defoe said. “They’re buzzing for me. They said, ‘Listen, you’re fully equipped, you’re ready to do it, you love the game, and how you were as a player, those sort of standards that you set as a player, is what will make you a success.’”

Defoe added that the encouragement extended beyond managers he had worked under. Newcastle and England legend Alan Shearer, a player Defoe had never shared a dressing room with, sent a personal message via Instagram. “He messaged me on Instagram, saying, ‘Good luck, gaffer!’ That meant a lot as Al’s a hero of mine.”

The 41-year-old suggested the move into management felt like a natural progression to those who knew him best. “I think they always knew I was going to go into management, because I was the sort of player that never cut any corners and wanted to learn and grow. When it comes to my football, I’ve always been like that, from day one.”

Defoe’s appointment at Woking, who compete in the National League — the fifth tier of English football — represents a significant step down from the top-flight stages where he built his reputation at clubs including Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United and Sunderland. It is, however, a path well-trodden by former professionals looking to establish their managerial credentials away from the spotlight.