Doubts surround Jermain Defoe role at Rangers as van Bronckhorst assembles backroom staff
Jermain Defoe’s future at Rangers is in doubt with Giovanni van Bronckhorst set to be named as club’s new manager, according to Glasgow Evening Times journalist Chris Jack.
Writing in the newspaper’s print edition on November 18 [page 38], Jack suggested that van Bronckhorst’s move to assemble his own backroom staff, coupled with the lack of game-time Defoe, 39, has had this season, could lead to the striker being completely frozen out at Ibrox.
“The future is less certain for Jermaine Defoe. Appointed to Gerrard’s staff at the start of the campaign, the striker’s appearances on the bench even more sparse than those on the pitch during the final weeks of the previous regime,” Jack wrote.
“His work for Sky Sports perhaps points to a change in direction for the 39-year-old, who could find it increasingly difficult to force his way into the starting line-up as Fashion Sakala continues to rise in prominence and challenge Alfredo Morelos and Kemar Roofe up front.”
No room for passengers
If Defoe isn’t playing, then we don’t need him on a playing contract and we don’t need him taking up a spot in the squad.
If Defoe isn’t needed in the coaching team then, ultimately, we have to let him go and pursue whatever career he wants to pursue.
Defoe was spotted working as a pundit for Sky Sports while Rangers played St Mirren last month, raising question marks about his actual role at Ibrox.
If he’s not around as a player and not needed on matchday as a coach – then what was the point in handing him a player-coach contract?
Defoe’s a very experienced footballer. He’s played almost 500 times in the Premier League, represented England on 57 occasions and has also played 73 times in all competitions during his time at Rangers.
However, there’s no room for passengers, whether that’s in the squad or in the coaching team and if van Bronckhorst opts to cut the ex-Tottenham striker loose then that’s a decision we’ll support.
Defoe has been a great servant to this club but if he wants to have a crack at being a pundit then we wish him all the best.
However, we cannot have someone here who’d rather work for Sky Sports than show their face at important league matches as a player or a coach.
In other Rangers news, last-ditch administration issues have been mooted for the swoop to hire Gio.