DEFOE’S A GAMBLE

WHEN Jermain Defoe negotiated one of his early contracts at West Ham he came accompanied, as ever, by his formidable mother, Sandra, and a young representative of his agent. Clearly, Mrs Defoe was not happy with this gentleman’s negotiating skills because, after the talks had ended unsatisfactorily, West Ham staff claimed to have seen her hitting him with her handbag — Benny Hill style — in the club car park. Now this story may be apocryphal — although who wouldn’t love to believe it were true? — but one thing is certain, there will be no admonishments, verbal or physical, for whoever negotiated Defoe’s more recent deals. To agree a free transfer if Sunderland were relegated was smart — but to secure a deal from Bournemouth worth £20m at the age of 34, was quite brilliant. Not least because Defoe only scored one goal in club football after February 4. Bournemouth are staking a lot on the hope that Defoe’s form prior to Christmas wasn’t merely a last hurrah.