Tottenham exit done as 'fantastic' behind-the-scenes figure makes official announcement

Paul Robinson has praised former Jermaine Defoe after announcing his decision to step away from his coaching role at Tottenham.

The 41-year-old announced his decision via Instagram on Wednesday (17 July), thanking all of the staff for helping him evolve into the coach he has become.

Defoe earned his UEFA A coaching status during his time at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and is now seeking another challenge away from Spurs, to which Robinson could only respect.

Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, Robinson said: "He's clearly got a pathway into management and his time at the club has been invaluable to both him and Tottenham's youngsters. He's a fantastic, infectious character and he'll be great on the training field.

"The time he's been at the club has been perfect for his coaching journey and career, and he's passed on his knowledge to those at Tottenham as well. You can completely understand him wanting to move on now as he wants to progress into a manager."

Jermaine Defoe leaves coaching role at Tottenham as managerial journey starts

Defoe will have learned a lot during his time with Spurs, especially through the interesting tactics deployed by Ange Postecoglou since his arrival last summer.

It is clear how much the former Spurs striker loves the club, especially through his heartfelt message on social media, having to leave all over again after departing as a player in 2014.

This will unlikely be the last time fans see Defoe in a coaching role, with the former striker eager to break into the managerial world.

With more and more former players breaking into the technical side of the game, such as Mikel Arteta or Xabi Alonso, Defoe could be back at Tottenham at some point in the future.

It is certainly exciting to see where he ends up next and see him put his education into practice.

In other Tottenham news, Spurs can get Viktor Gyokeres for £34million as a new striker transfer update emerges.

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