Jermain Defoe has stepped down as manager of National League side Woking, describing his tenure as an "eye-opening experience." The former England striker's departure comes after only four months and six league games in charge.
Defoe was appointed as Neal Ardley's replacement in March. During his brief spell, the team secured two victories, ultimately finishing the season in 10th place. Woking announced on Thursday that the club and Defoe had "mutually agreed to part ways with immediate effect," approximately two weeks before the start of the new campaign.
"Unfortunately, circumstances have ultimately made it impossible for me to continue in the position," Defoe stated in an Instagram post. He expressed pride in the work accomplished during his time at the club, feeling that "we were building something special."
Defoe's final match as Woking manager was a 1-0 loss to Braintree Town in a pre-season friendly on Tuesday. His playing career included extensive spells with clubs such as West Ham, Tottenham, Portsmouth, and Sunderland, where he scored 305 goals in 763 senior appearances before retiring in 2022. The former striker also represented England 57 times, scoring 20 goals. Prior to his role at Woking, Defoe had a stint with an interim coaching staff at Rangers in 2021 and worked in the Tottenham academy before leaving in 2024 to pursue a full-time managerial position.