Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Cottee: Defoe will win Hammers fans round again
TONY Cottee believes Jermain Defoe should return to West Ham and win doubting fans around with goals.
The Hammers have reportedly had a bid for their former player turned down by his current club, Sunderland.
Defoe joined West Ham as a 16-yearold in 1999 and was a big hit with fans until he handed in a transfer request within 24 hours of the club’s relegation from the Premier League in 2003. He joined Tottenham the following year.
Defoe took his goal tally for the season to 11 with two penalties in Monday’s 2-2 Premier League draw with Liverpool and appears vital to the Black Cats’ survival hopes.
The 34-year-old was booed when West Ham met Sunderland at the London Stadium in October.
However, Cottee thinks the Hammers fans would quickly take to the striker again, even if some may not want to see him return.
The 51-year-old, who played nearly 300 games for the Hammers in two spells, said: “Once he’s scored his first goal for the club we’ll be singing his name.
“It’s important West Ham get a goalscorer in now because we want to move up.”
On Defoe’s initial departure from Upton Park, Cottee added: “I think he was poorly advised, I do believe that.”
Meanwhile, West Ham midfielder Sofiane Feghouli has had his dismissal against Manchester United rescinded by the Football Association.
Feghouli was shown a straight red card by referee Mike Dean following a collision with Phil Jones in the first half on Monday night and faced a three-match ban.