Defoe: Redknapp told me not to bother with a medical... "Just score goals"

[Dharmabum]

Defoe: Redknapp told me not to bother with a medical... "Just score goals"


Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe has revealed Harry Redknapp was once so keen to sign him that he told the striker he wouldn’t even need to pass a medical.

The striker has enjoyed some of the most prolific periods of his career under Redknapp during spells at West Ham, Tottenham (twice) and Portsmouth.

“He always used to phone me and say ‘JD, just come and score goals, you don't need to do a medical, just come and score,'" Defoe revealed in the new FourFourTwo Films documentary: The Art of Goalscoring (below). "I love him... I still message him now."

Redknapp also offered insight into the close bond between the pair by revealing how he jokingly dismissed the striker’s request for a goal bonus during contract negotiations for his move to Portsmouth in 2008.

“I remember Jermain’s mum when we were in discussions to take him to Portsmouth," said the former Spurs boss. "She was in the room with the agent, the chairman Milan Mandaric and chief executive Peter Storrie. Peter came out and said ‘Harry we’re not getting anywhere here, can you come and help?’

“She was a lovely lady but she said, ‘We want a goal bonus’. I said, ‘What do you think we’re paying him £50,000 a week for – to miss them?’”

Read more at http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/def...-medical-just-score-goals#KvHQIpg8c1l4XFM3.99

 

[Dougal]

Maybe if he told Pav that too instead of 'just facking run round a bit' he'd have scored more goals.

 

[archiewasking]

Love that last paragraph.

 

[Bobbins]

That's a brilliant story - both parts of it.

Something characterful about the game will be lost when the last of the Redknapp-type/era managers disappear.

 

[Gassin's finest]

That's a brilliant story - both parts of it.

Something characterful about the game will be lost when the last of the Redknapp-type/era managers disappear.

Like bung taking and tax evasion?

 

[Japhet]

Defoe: Redknapp told me not to bother with a medical... "Just score goals"


Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe has revealed Harry Redknapp was once so keen to sign him that he told the striker he wouldn’t even need to pass a medical.

The striker has enjoyed some of the most prolific periods of his career under Redknapp during spells at West Ham, Tottenham (twice) and Portsmouth.

“He always used to phone me and say ‘JD, just come and score goals, you don't need to do a medical, just come and score,'" Defoe revealed in the new FourFourTwo Films documentary: The Art of Goalscoring (below). "I love him... I still message him now."

Redknapp also offered insight into the close bond between the pair by revealing how he jokingly dismissed the striker’s request for a goal bonus during contract negotiations for his move to Portsmouth in 2008.

“I remember Jermain’s mum when we were in discussions to take him to Portsmouth," said the former Spurs boss. "She was in the room with the agent, the chairman Milan Mandaric and chief executive Peter Storrie. Peter came out and said ‘Harry we’re not getting anywhere here, can you come and help?’

“She was a lovely lady but she said, ‘We want a goal bonus’. I said, ‘What do you think we’re paying him £50,000 a week for – to miss them?’”

Read more at http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/defoe-redknapp-told-me-not-bother-a-medical-just-score-goals#KvHQIpg8c1l4XFM3.99

I'd have told her 'Jermain won't get a goal bonus but you can have 50k for every one you score Mrs. Defoe'.

 

[Spurrific]

Love that last paragraph.

The fact that JD was on 50k back then pretty much epitomises why Portsmouth FC was financially ruined

 

[Buggsy61]

Its all typical Arry, but in no way should the phone conversations between him and JD asking him to come and score goals be construed as any kind of tapping up!.

 

[Bobbins]

Like bung taking and tax evasion?

I knew someone would say something like that!

Nevertheless, I still regret the loss of all of the "old school" managers from the game, mostly to be replaced with personality-free robots.

 

[riggi]

Like bung taking and tax evasion?

As opposed to the new breed that are all 100% kosher

 

[VegasII]

Triffic!

 

[DIEHARD]

I never understood shit like appearance fees, goal bonus etc

Like what the fuck

Imagine going to my bonus yeah pay me my basic salary and I also deserve a bonus for mustering up the energy to wake up every morning and coming in to work.

PS I loved Harry and that story cracked me up and continues to five mins later,

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

That's a brilliant story - both parts of it.

Something characterful about the game will be lost when the last of the Redknapp-type/era managers disappear.

Yep. But the world moves on and us old farts just have to deal with it. I'm assuming that you are an old fart.

 

[Bobbins]

Yep. But the world moves on and us old farts just have to deal with it. I'm assuming that you are an old fart.

I'm 35 but my wife would probably say I am one!

 

[chaching]

I never understood shit like appearance fees, goal bonus etc

Like what the fuck

Imagine going to my bonus yeah pay me my basic salary and I also deserve a bonus for mustering up the energy to wake up every morning and coming in to work.

PS I loved Harry and that story cracked me up and continues to five mins later,

In theory you are right but what it does is keep them wanting to get on the pitch more rather than having a slight niggle and deciding they couldn't be bothered. As far as I understand it Spurs tend to pay a relatively small amount in basic pay but pays a lot more in performance bonuses than most other clubs. If I remember this correctly this was introduced while Darren Anderton was at the club.

 

[mano-obe]

My wife said she would show me her jugs every time I scored a goal which was a great bonus. Shame I scored one goal in 5 seasons then busted me ACL. That's marriage I guess!

 

[Geyzer Soze]

I never understood shit like appearance fees, goal bonus etc

Like what the fuck

Imagine going to my bonus yeah pay me my basic salary and I also deserve a bonus for mustering up the energy to wake up every morning and coming in to work.

PS I loved Harry and that story cracked me up and continues to five mins later,

Lots, if not most, people get performance related bonuses

 

[DJS]

Lots, if not most, people get performance related bonuses

I don't...

 

[DIEHARD]

Lots, if not most, people get performance related bonuses

I understand performance related pay and rationale behind it.

What I don't understand is appearance related pay. I wish I got appearance related pay.

 

[DIEHARD]

In theory you are right but what it does is keep them wanting to get on the pitch more rather than having a slight niggle and deciding they couldn't be bothered. As far as I understand it Spurs tend to pay a relatively small amount in basic pay but pays a lot more in performance bonuses than most other clubs. If I remember this correctly this was introduced while Darren Anderton was at the club.

Performance related pay is a good thing and agree wholeheartedly with it, it incentives especially good performance and essential in sport in my view.

The appearance is another matter then again I guess if Poch says that players are paid to train and nothing else then it makes sense that for them to appear on the pitch they should be paid extra