Jermain Defoe’s sudden departure from Woking after just four months as manager was preceded by “growing concerns” across the club, with the director of football revealing the former England striker failed to turn up for a key meeting and training session.
Defoe, 43, and the National League side “mutually agreed to part ways with immediate effect” earlier this week, two weeks before Woking’s opening match of the new season against Sutton United. The former Tottenham and West Ham forward had overseen two wins and one defeat in six league games in his first managerial role.
“Jermain Defoe's Woking exit came after 'growing concerns', with director Jody Brown saying he failed to attend training.”
Jody Brown, Woking’s director of football, said the decision to appoint Defoe was his and that he believed the “likeable” former striker was “the right person to lead the club into an exciting new era”. But Brown added: “As we have seen many times before, success as a player does not always translate into management and leadership.”
In a statement, Brown explained that “in recent weeks there had been feedback from across the club, including players, staff and other departments, regarding growing concerns.” He said he asked Defoe and assistant Paul Bracewell for a brief report “outlining the squad’s current depth, recruitment targets and any operational challenges” so that he could provide “the support required”. That report “was requested on more than one occasion but was never received”, Brown said.
“A meeting was subsequently scheduled involving the directors, manager, assistant manager and head of operations to review preparations for the season,” Brown added. “Neither Jermain nor his assistant attended that meeting or that day’s training session. Throughout his tenure, Jermain had never communicated any serious concerns directly to me, so I am not going to speculate on his reasons.”
Defoe had earlier described his stint as “an eye-opening managerial experience and one that will undoubtedly make me stronger for the next challenge in my career”, and said it was “impossible for me to continue”. He has not publicly responded to Woking’s claims.
Defoe scored 305 goals in 763 senior appearances for clubs including West Ham, Tottenham, Portsmouth and Sunderland, and 20 times in 57 appearances for England, before retiring in 2022. He had been part of an interim coaching staff at Rangers and worked in the Spurs academy before taking the Woking job in March.