Former England international believes the current Rangers side are severely lacking in experience and character under Russell Martin
Former Rangers goal machine Jermain Defoe reckons Russell Martin’s side are lacking leadership and character in the Ibrox dressing room.
The ex-Tottenham, Portsmouth and Sunderland hero played alongside some huge personalities during his three-year spell in Glasgow and he believes that is missing from the current squad.
Defoe - now 42 - was signed by Steven Gerrard towards the latter stages of his playing career and was one of the veteran players in the 2020/21 Premiership title winning side that cruised to the silverware without losing a single game.
He recalled the team that Gerrard assembled had the perfect blend of youth and experience, with the likes of Steven Davis and Allan McGregor passing on the necessary expertise and guidance.
Jermain Defoe: Current Rangers squad is short of experience and characters
However, it’s that balance and a winning mentality that he feels is currently missing at his old club, with skipper James Tavernier one of just a few players who have shown leadership skills.
Speaking to The Scotsman, Defoe said: “When you talk about recruitment, I felt like at the time the club recruited well. Steven was clever the way he did it.
“It was a good mix. You had the younger players. You had the boys who were Rangers fans, those who understood what it took to play for that football club.
“We had a really tight group, really close, and we just had that belief that we could just win every game. We managed the changing room, so Stevie didn't even have to do that.
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“You had the players that have been there already, that had won loads of league titles there, plus the senior boys had come in. We made sure the standards were just kept every single day when we trained.
“Rangers are missing that. When I look at the team and the squad, I just feel like you're missing those characters.”
Defoe had a short stint as a player-coach towards the end of his time in Glasgow before departing the club in January 2022. He decided to hang up his boots less than two months later, with the former England international now attempting to forge a career in coaching, having successfully obtained all of his badges.
Jermain Defoe ‘actively tried’ to join Russell Martin’s backroom team
He has since worked in Tottenham’s youth academy and is desperate to return to Glasgow in a coaching capacity after revealing he actively tried to become a part of head coach Martin’s backroom team over the summer.
He confessed: “I tried to go back in the summer. I’ve done all my coaching badges, and I’d love to be in the club in some capacity. I understand what it’s like, I’ve won a league title there - it’s just one, but I get it."
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