One might say he’s clinical, fast-thinking and ruthless. One also might say he’s greedy, unmotivated and disloyal.
These are all adjectives that have been used to describe Jermain Defoe at various points of his career and have all, once again, come to the fore. The crown jewel in the off-season makeover underway at Toronto FC, Defoe has a lot to live up to.
What kind of a player and human being are the Reds getting from Tottenham? If Defoe’s career gives any indication, they’re getting a fighter. Defoe is no stranger to adversity. The forward who has 143 goals over two separate spells at Spurs has been playing under the cloud of personal turmoil for a number of years now, and yet, his performances have yet to suffer.
A 2013 ITV documentary on Defoe’s life revealed how he copes with the personal demons, and he’s had plenty to deal with. Four years ago, his half-brother was violently beaten to death and shortly afterwards his cousin was killed after having his house burgled. Then, when Defoe was on his way to the 2012 European Championships with England, his father died of cancer and another cousin was electrocuted to death in a freak accident at the age of 20.
Playing the sport he loves offers salvation for Defoe, 31, and his bit-part role at Spurs this season wasn’t conducive to that.
“Now the only time I am really at peace is when I am training and playing,” said Defoe in the documentary.
The man who grew up in a tough council estate in East London has never won a major honour at club level–and his new team isn’t the model of success—so he certainly won’t lack motivation to hit the ground running in MLS.
In 31 years, Defoe has dealt with a level of tragedy that most individuals don’t get exposed to in a lifetime. His mental strength in dealing with events off the pitch is one of his most important and curiously least mentioned traits.
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Harry Redknapp’s unforeseen departure from Spurs in 2012 kick-started Defoe’s marginalization. Redknapp initially employed a 4-4-2 formation with Defoe and Peter Crouch up top. The arrival of Rafael Van der Vaart signaled a switch to 4-4-1-1, but Defoe still saw plenty of playing time under Redknapp. His best ever season came in 2009-10 where he knocked in 24 goals in all competitions, the highlight being a five-goal performance against Wigan Athletic.
Andre Villas-Boas’ preference for a high-pressing, counter attacking 4-2-3-1 saw Defoe end up on the substitutes’ bench more often than not. Defoe isn’t adept at holding the ball and doesn’t excel at bringing his teammates into play; his passing is erratic and has his fair share of trouble simply staying onside.
But enough about his flaws—what does the former West Ham academy graduate excel at? He majestically comes to life in the opposition’s penalty box as his reactions are ridiculously fast paced. It often appears that Defoe isn’t thinking, he’s merely reacting, and his instincts will really benefit a team that’s found goals hard to come by in recent times.
Defoe is at his best when operating in a 4-4-2 system alongside a strike partner. Well, TFC coach Ryan Nelsen just so happens to prefer 4-4-2 and one expects Defoe to line up alongside fellow new recruit Gilberto.
Having a strike partner should effectively mask most of Defoe’s flaws. As previously mentioned, he is very much a penalty box player. In Spurs’ lost against West Ham this season, Defoe managed 22 touches of the ball and completed a mere 13 passes playing as a lone striker. He’s also averaging fewer touches per shot (8.8) than any other player in the Premier League. This all points to a player who, while undoubtedly clinical, won’t be incredibly involved in the build-up.
Concerns have rightly been raised about his age and long-term durability, but that shouldn’t be an issue. Strikers such as Robbie Keane and Thierry Henry have not only come to MLS later on in their careers but they also scored goals for fun.
Cynics might also say that this is an older player looking for a semi-retirement home with a final payday. While his contract is lucrative, that sounds like a bit of a stretch. Defoe visits French fitness guru Tiberius Darau during the season and you wouldn’t put it past him to find a North American equivalent.
“Years ago people used to say ‘when you get to 30 you only have a couple more years,’” said Defoe in a May 2013 interview. “But with all the sports science and the recovery work you can play for a lot longer.”
Typical Defoe—taking something deemed ‘conventional’ and vowing to overcome it—and he’ll undoubtedly be aware of various British media articles proclaiming the end of his international career. David Beckham, who was playing for the LA Galaxy, was considered a lock for the England team at the 2010 World Cup and only a ruptured Achilles tendon kept him out of the playing squad. Defoe will be presumably playing more games in Toronto than he would in London and while Roy Hodgson isn’t a fan of cross-Atlantic travel, televisions exist for a reason.
And that’s exactly the type of player Toronto FC is getting; the kind of guy who has maintained a high-level of play despite battling a slew of horrific personal tragedies. They’re getting a player who doesn’t see Toronto as a step down, and a player who will have the small matter of a World Cup in Brazil in the back of his mind every time he laces up his cleats.
And above all, they’re getting a player with a heck of a lot more playing left to do.
He’s not too shabby, either.
Sasha Kalra is a Toronto-based writer. Follow him on Twitter.