Heartache and diet fuel Defoe

COMEBACK: ENGLAND’S JERMAIN OLD, BUT NOT COLD

Despite being snubbed by Hodgson, striker never gave up on putting on England shirt again.

London

Fuelled by the pain of past rejections and revitalised after turning vegan, Jermain Defoe insists he can defy father time by firing England to the World Cup. Less than a year ago, Defoe feared his England career was over after Roy Hodgson ignored the striker’s fine form with Sunderland and left him out of the Euro 2016 squad.

Defoe was devastated and the blow was even tougher to take because Hodgson didn’t deem it necessary to personally deliver the news.

“I didn’t get a call. I found out on the telly,” he said.

“I still think about it. It keeps the fire in my belly because I love playing for my country.”

Despite the sting of that snub, the 34-year-old had always relished every opportunity to pull on an England shirt and he refused to give up hope of a recall.

Fast forward to last Sunday and it was no wonder Defoe wore a smile as wide as the famous Wembley arch when he marked his first England appearance since 2013 with his first international goal in over four years.

Steering home Raheem Sterling’s cross with a typically predatory finish, Defoe opened the scoring in Sunday’s 2-0 World Cup qualifying win over Lithuania at Wembley.

Well aware it wasn’t just Hodgson who regarded him as yesterday’s man, it was a cathartic moment for Defoe and the former Tottenham striker said: “I never gave up. Never once did I think ‘I’m going to retire from international football’.

“I’ve worked so hard and I still feel sharp. I always thought if I did get selected I could still score goals at this level.”

Having scored 14 goals for Sunderland this term, Defoe’s strong showing against Lithuania suggests he will remain in England manager Gareth Southgate’s plans for the foreseeable future.

At an age when many of his peers have faded into obscurity, Defoe looks as sharp as ever and he puts his longevity down to a new-found commitment to sports science and his girlfriend’s successful attempt to make him go vegan.

“My girlfriend said I’ve got to do it. She puts on these documentaries and stuff. It’s a funny one because when I go to my mum’s she’s got every meat you can imagine on the table,” he said. – AFP