Troy Deeney is hoping former England pair John Terry and Jermain Defoe will lend a helping hand to his relegation-threatened Forest Green Rovers side
Struggling Forest Green Rovers manager Troy Deeney is reportedly prepared to call on the services of John Terry and Jermain Defoe.
When Deeney, 35, took over as player-coach of the League Two team that faces relegation last month, he has lost his first six games as a manager. After three draws and three losses, they are currently at the bottom of the table.
Not only have the outcomes been concerning, but Deeney’s candid comments, in which he frequently chastised his players, have cast doubt on his preparedness for the position.
He does, however, have a large football contact list, and The Telegraph claims he intends to bring in Defoe for a shooting drill and Terry for a defensive demonstration.
Former Chelsea captain Terry previously worked as Dean Smith’s assistant at Aston Villa and Leicester City, and Defoe currently coaches the under-18 team at his former club, Tottenham.
Deeney has reached out to other alumni from England as well. Additionally, it is said that he has sought advice from Robert Huth, the loan manager for his former team Leicester, and Burnley manager Vincent Kompany.
Deeney has already brought in three players since the January transfer, but he still has more targets in mind. “We will have a very strong foundation and be able to look for our game-changer if we get the center-half we want,” he stated.
Following the weekend’s 2-0 loss to Harrogate, Deeney publicly attacked former Coventry midfielder Fankaty Dabo. Remarkably, he informed reporters, “He’s not been good for five, six, seven, eight, or nine weeks.”
“I just informed him in front of everyone that that child could have been in the Premier League six months ago. He won’t be able to play in the National League anymore.”
He later said, “I let my emotions get the best of me at times,” in an apology to Dabo. Just over 48 hours before QPR’s next away league game at Mansfield, Deeney made an appearance on Sky Sports’ coverage of QPR vs. Watford, which only served to enrage fans more.
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