Woking: Defoe Didn't Leave, He Just Didn't Show Up

Jermain Defoe, just six games in, announced his exit on Thursday. 'Impossible circumstances,' he declared, making it sound like some grand, unavoidable fate forced his hand. Problem? Jody Brown, Woking’s director of football, has a rather different story. A starkly different one, actually.

Brown says Defoe — and his assistant, Paul Bracewell — simply didn't bother showing up. Missed a scheduled meeting with club directors. Skipped training. All on the very same day.

Brown's version? The club had been asking Defoe for a detailed report. Squad depth. Recruitment targets. Operational headaches. They asked 'on more than one occasion.' That report? Never landed. The meeting itself was set up specifically to tackle 'growing concerns' that had been bubbling up from players, staff, and pretty much every other department during pre-season.

Brown, to his credit, owned up. He recommended Defoe's appointment back in March. Even then, the former Tottenham and England international managed just two wins from those six matches.

Look, we all know being a star player doesn't magically make you a good gaffer. But Brown insists Woking was 'fully committed' to backing Defoe. Recruitment, player matters – the 43-year-old's input was 'heavily influenced.'

Still, the director’s frustration was clear. 'People do not just fail to turn up,' he snapped, highlighting the lack of direct communication about any alleged 'serious concerns.' It wasn't an exit; it was a vanishing act.

Meanwhile, Defoe’s social media post? Not a peep about Brown’s very specific outline of events. Just a polite 'thank you' to the club ownership and a pat on the back for 'work completed so far.' Sounds like two completely different realities.