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Relegation-threatened Premier League side Sunderland are struggling to finish the current campaign on a high after posting one too many poor results.

Coach David Moyes says Three Lions striker Jermaine Defoe has found his rhythm while on international duty and that he would be crucial as the club fight relegation.

Moyes is confident that the Black Cats can still survive after all that has happened. And he knows that Defoe would play a crucial role.

Defoe was drafted to the team that played Lithuania during the international window. He broke his three-year hiatus in the international scene by netting his 20th for England.

Moyes is happy that the striker scored as the 34-year old had gone four games in the league without a goal. He grabbed a brace in the 4-0 stunning victory over Crystal Palace in early February, offering hope to the team but the goals soon dried up.

“I thought yesterday in training, as a lot of players do when they come back from international football, he’d come back with a bit of spring in his step, that bit of brightness about him. Especially when you’ve played for England and scored a goal, so hopefully we can turn that into goals for Sunderland,” the former Manchester United coach said.

He asked that the rest of the players work hard at creating chances and scoring goals like they always talk about during trainings. He praised the effort of the team not to concede goals. He said the Burnley match was one that they did that even though they lost their chances. Fabio Borini, Adnan Januzaj, Seb Larsson and Billy Jones had chances but they all failed to convert them.

With less than two months left in the league, Sunderland would need to win lots of games to escape the bottom three.

Stoke City forward Peter Crouch has said that he is hoping that he combines well with new signing of the club Saido Berahino.

The striker was acquired from West Bromich Albion for £15 million and is set to anchor the attack at City. However Crouch has said that his position in the team is not threatened but that he expects a strong partnership with the new man like his partnership with Jermain Defoe.

The 6ft7in player pointed to his combination with Defoe at Tottenham and Portsmouth as an example that he could link up perfectly with another striker.

“I had a fantastic relationship with Jermain and it would be great to try and get that kind of partnership going with Saido,” the former Three Lions star said.

Crouch has been decent of late, scoring three times in six games upon his return to the first team. The player says he would not give up his slot without a fight but that he could fit perfectly with the incoming player.

When diminutive Defoe combined with the very tall Crouch they netted 72 times within three years in a productive partnership.

“Hopefully with him coming in we can work together rather than replacing each other. I know I will be a threat if I continue to play. I’m loving every minute of playing at the moment and long may that continue,” the former Liverpool player added.

Many have rumoured that Crouch may not receive a new deal of could even get booted out if the new player performs but he thinks otherwise as he feels he is still relevant in the setup.
Stoke have enjoyed a decent season but obviously aspire for greater heights as a Premier League side.

Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe has surpassed the 150 Premier League goal tally in November whilst hoping that he would eventually break the record set by Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler.

The English player hailed Fowler as one of the best strikers in the history of English football.

“Someone like Robbie Fowler, in my opinion he’s one of the most natural finishers that this country has produced. I remember his goals, nice clean finisher, not much backlift,” Defoe told Sky Sports.

The 34-year old forward scored his 150th in the 3-0 triumph over Hull City last week. He still has a lot of work to do as he is intent on breaking Fowler’s record f 163 goals, particularly as he only just equalled

Michael Owen’s record who used to be seventh on the All-time Premier League top scorers.

Acknowledging the tough task ahead, Defoe said:

“If I can go above him, it would be special. It’s a long way to go but I’ll just take them as they come I always believe that each game I play I’ll get a chance or half-chance and it’s just down to me to take it.”

Alan shearer sits comfortably on the list with 260 goals in 441 games played. Wayne Rooney, Andrew Cole, Frank Lampard and Thierry Henry take the top five spot respectively.

Defoe almost ended his Premier League career when he moved to America to play for Toronto FC in 2014. Eventually, he returned to Tottenham on a loan deal before moving to Sunderland in the January transfer window last year. His goals ensured they remained in top-flight English football. They are in the relegation zone again, and hopefully Defoe’s goals can help them again.

“I’ve always enjoyed scoring goals. I’ve still got that same buzz. Even when I score in training I’ve got the same buzz,” Defoe added.

The Sunderland striker, Jermain Defoe believes his side deserved nothing but victory in their clash with Crystal Palace, upon falling to a late 3-2 loss.

Sunderland were leading Crystal Palace 2-0, thanks to Defoe’s double, but goals from Joe Ledley, James McArthur and Christian Benteke changed the story of the match.

Having seen their advantage slip, the Englishman insisted The Black Cats supposed to have held on and won the game.

“I’m devastated,” he said. “When you are 2-0 up at home, you have to see the game out and win it, simple as that. You can imagine how it is in the dressing room. It’s hard, because when you play well but don’t get points it’s difficult. We created a lot of chances, but when you play well you expect to win. Even a draw would have made us feel down, because we thought we were the better team.

“Benteke’s goal at the end is something we have worked on in training – we’re disappointed.”

The ex-Manchester United now Sunderland boss, David Moyes, however, did not believe his side were worth their magic lead, though they should have strengthened better the defense during the die-minutes.

The 34-year old explained how disappointed he was to lose the important match having been leading by two goals earlier. He reportedly claimed that his side didn’t really hold on to the two goals to scratch out a win for the team.

“For us to not have someone deal with Benteke at the dearth, for him to have a five-yard run and have no challenge, is just incredible. We need our players to assume a level of responsibility, that’s it’s not all down to me and my staff.” He advised.

“We’re in a similar situation to where the club’s been for the last two or three seasons. To address this, when we go 2-0 up don’t lose headers and challenges. It’s simple, just do the basics well and then you won’t concede.”

Sunderland forward Jermain Defoe might get another shot at the national team duty for England when former Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce is faced with selecting players to feature for the country soon.

Allardyce had the chance to lead the Three Lions years back but he lost the position to Steve Bruce. With his appointment this time, Defoe could get another chance to represent England.

The 33-year old player has been neglected despite his decent level of success over the years. Just last season he scored 15 goals, helping Sunderland survive relegation from top flight English football. There are speculations that the English player could get a call-up to join the team for World Cup qualifiers. “Big Sam” as Allardyce is fondly referred to was pictured when in the stadium when Defoe scored against Manchester City in the first game of the season for Sunderland.
Defoe featured for England three years ago and hasn’t got a shot since then. Roy Hodgson didn’t look his way at all despite being the third highest English goalscorer in the Premier League last season, ending up behind Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy. Defoe entered the top ten all time goal scorers in the Premier League, drawing level with former Arsenal striker Robin van Persie with 144 goals.

He downplayed the visit of the manager to his possible call-up saying: “I thought I had a chance with the previous manager but I don’t know! It is important for me to just get my head down, people will say what they like but it is down to me. I need to continue to work hard, keep sharp and forwards get judged on scoring goals.”

There is an abundance of options in forward positions in the English team, but Defoe could still get his feature due to his quality and with time not being on his side. His experience would be helpful to England as they prepare for more tournaments after a string of utter failures.

Jermain Defoe reveals that Sunderland players are undergoing an intense workout regime as they are getting ready for the pre season matches.

Indeed, every club’s players are focusing on training and getting in form ahead of the new season that will start off from next week. Some clubs have retained their position in the Premier League while others will hope to restore their position by the end of this season. Sunderland was able to secure a place in the Premier League but their scores are quite low. Hence, it is necessary that the players are in top form to ensure that they are able to play through the rounds of the tournament.

For these reasons the manager of the club, Sam Allardyce has been putting the players through gruelling workouts as Jermain Defoe has revealed. The squad is going through workouts that are long and gruelling. Black Cats have been undergoing pre season training and Jermain has been talking about the intense regime that has been designed for them this year. There are about three sessions in a day that the players need to go through. As per the striker who is 33 years of age, he is already feeling the effects of the rigorous fitness regime.

Defoe stated that the place selected for training is quiet so that the team can focus on training as well. The players are also eager to get back to form and hence, everyone is putting in the hard work to train before the season begins. Defoe stated that the manager definitely wants the players to have a good season for which they are putting in the hard work that he is pushing them towards. He wants to ensure that the players are in fit, form when the first games begin.

Many pundits believe that Roy Hodgson has made a mistake in not selecting Jermain Defoe for the Euros in France.

The England striker has been quite prolific this year where he has scored 18 goals for Sunderland. He would have been an excellent complement to Jamie Vardy and Harry Kane in the England team.

Roy Hodgson has given his own reasons why he has not chosen Defoe and for many people, the reasons are not valid. The England manager said that when Defoe announce he was going to play in the MLS two years ago, he was omitted from the England team that participate at the last World Cup.

Since that time England has been working with a group of players to prepare for the Euros and Defoe was not considered to be part of the team. However, pundits believe that Roy Hodgson should have taken into account that Defoe has been playing in England recently and that his form and scoring abilities prove that he is still a quality player.

Roy Hodgson has also argued that he did not want to disrupt the team with a new comer. But some pundits claim that Hodgson has done just that with the introduction of Marcus Rashford and Danny Drinkwater. He could have made an effort in order to accommodate a player that has been in excellent form for his team this season. He could have at least allowed him to be part of the preliminary squad and find out how he performed in the friendlies.

Indeed, Jermain Defoe would have provided another option to Hodgson in matches where England may find it difficult to score. Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy appear to be quite similar in their playing style and with Defoe the team would have provided another attacking option for the team.

English International, Jermain Defoe, said he is very pleased with the award he received from his club, Sunderland FC.

The 33-year old former Spurs striker said felt he had a point to prove in his first full season as a Sunderland player.

Having been named player of the year by the club’s supporters, the striker now wants to earn the level of affection lavished on Kevin Phillips who scored 116 goals in matches for the club.

The diminutive player joined mid-season on the back of a year in Major League football playing for Toronto, and a hernia operation. He was only able to find the net four times in his first campaign on Wearside. Defoe being eager to show his worth in 2015-16 responded with 16 goals. Conscious of the impact Kevin Phillips and others had on the club, Defoe has plans to emulate them.

On the award and being like Philips, he said:

“It’s a special one [the award] because it comes from the fans and its the fans appreciating your hard work.

“It means a lot to me because it’s my first full season here.
“For me everything started in pre-season. I came back off holiday and just wanted to have a really good pre-season and show the fans what I could do because when I first came into the club I’d had four months off from the MLS and an operation and I wasn’t sharp or fit.

“That’s why pre-season was important for me. It’s paid off and I feel sharp and fit.

“I’m still not done yet because I want to continue scoring goals until the end of the season because I know now the goals are needed.”

“When I first walked into the football club I just wanted to score goals and be the difference and help the team to push forward.

“It’s no different to the other forwards who have been here over the years, the likes of Darren Bent and Kevin Phillips. The fans appreciate and still love them to this day.

“Hopefully one day, when I’m not playing any more, I can come always back here because it’s a great place.”

Sunderland’s striker believes that his team can avoid relegation if they keep playing as they are doing at the moment.

He told the media that the Sunderland manager, Sam Allardyce has encouraged his players to win at least four of their remaining games so as to save their Premier League status.

Jermain Defoe believes that this objective is achievable since they still have five home games to play. He stated that Sunderland can win all the five games if needed. However, on paper, it may appear quite different because the teams that Sunderland will be facing at home are West Bromwich Albion, Leicester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Everton.

Their next game will be against West Bromwich Albion, and Defoe conceded that it will not be easy. He believes that the first thing that the team should focus on is to keep a clean sheet. The team has enough creative players up front to come up with a goal. Sunderland lost the away game against West Bromwich by 1-0 and will be hoping that there is no repeat of this scoreline.

After West Brom, it will be time to face the leader Leicester. Defoe is adamant that they can get a positive result against Leicester even if they are playing well at the moment. He hopes that Sunderland could win the game against Leicester, and he would personally want Tottenham to win the league.

Defoe, who played at Tottenham from 2003-2008 and then from 2009 to 2014, will want his old club to win the title that evades them ever since 1961. He made 170 appearances for the London team in his first stint and scored 61 goals. After his return to Tottenham, he made a further 182 appearances for them and scored 76 goals.

Sam Allardyce claims that he is ready to build a team around Jermain Defoe.

The Sunderland manager says that he will not consider selling the striker on a cheap even though he is coming to the end of his career. Instead, it would take an incredible offer to persuade him to even consider the possibility of a sale. Sunderland have been making enough progress in their efforts to avoid relegation. The progress did not come immediately after the appointment of Allardyce. Now, however, the club has won two games in the last five matches.

Back-to-back victories against Aston Villa and Swansea have helped them remain in touch with the clubs trying to get out of the relegation zone. Without these victories, there was a danger of Sunderland becoming adrift near the foot of the table. A major reason behind these victories was the form of Defoe, who has taken his season’s tally to 12 goals in 18 appearances. This is an extremely good return for a player at a relegation threatened outfit. Since he remains the best opportunity that Sunderland have in order to get out of the drop zone, Allardyce says that it will take a monumental amount of money to persuade the club to sell the 33-year-old.

Defoe was brought back to English football by Sunderland after a brief spell in the MLS. “We haven’t had any bids for Jermain and I suppose if there had been a bid for him, I would have turned it down. Unless it had been that big a bid that the owner told me we couldn’t afford to turn it down. Every club has that scenario but we haven’t had a bid for Jermain and we don’t want to sell him. There’s always been a belief that maybe he can’t play up front on his own but he’s played on his own a couple of times for me now,” said Allardyce.