'Until next time' - Tottenham Hotspur club legend confirms exit

Tottenham Hotspur club legend Jermain Defoe has confirmed that he will leave his coaching role at the North London club to pursue the next step of his post-playing career.

The 41-year-old has made no secret of his desire to work as a manager in the game, admitting to Sky Sports earlier this year that he was 'ready' for a senior role. Defoe had also tracked his learning curve from player to manager on a BBC Sounds podcast.

The former striker hung up his playing boots for good in March 2022 and began to earn his coaching badges that summer. Defoe worked across the under-17 to under-21 squads at Spurs and has played a role in the development of stars including Troy Parrott and Dane Scarlett. He has also undertaken coaching work as part of former Liverpool man Steven Gerrard's team at Rangers during his final playing days.

Defoe took to social media on Wednesday to confirm his decision to quit Tottenham Hotspur. In a heartfelt statement, he wrote: "For the past two seasons I have thoroughly enjoyed my coaching time at THFC. 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.

“It has been a pleasure to achieve so much at Spurs including reaching UEFA A coaching status which was always an ambition of mine following my playing career. 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. All great journeys eventually come to an end and I wish everyone at the club nothing but the best for the coming season and the future. Until next time.”

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Defoe began his playing career as a youngster in the Charlton Athletic academy before breaking through at West Ham. He joined Spurs in 2004 and spent four years at the club before moving to Portsmouth.

The striker returned to Tottenham Hotspur in 2009 and stayed for five years before moving on to Toronto FC. He would come back to North London for one final loan spell in 2014 before journeying to AFC Bournemouth, Rangers and Sunderland.