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Tottenham Hotspur's Jermain Defoe ready to replace Wayne Rooney
JERMAIN DEFOE says he is the man to fill Wayne Rooney’s boots for England at Euro 2012.
Even though the FA are still considering whether to appeal Wayne Rooney’s three-game ban, England manager Fabio Capello expects to be without his first-choice forward in all of the group games.
And having stepped off the bench to score in Tottenham’s 2-2 draw at Newcastle on Sunday, Jermain Defoe said: “With the sharpness I’ve got now, I believe I should be playing [for England]. I feel completely different from how I did last season.
“I probably came back too soon after injuring my ankle with England last September and sometimes it’s difficult to get that sharpness I’d always had. But I feel probably the strongest I’ve ever felt in my career.
“My England record is good [15 goals in 46 games] and I was disappointed not to be in the last squad, but it makes you more hungry.
With the sharpness I’ve got now, I believe I should be playing [for England]
“When I’m fit and sharp – and in the form I’m in now – I can score at that level. I’ve done it before.
“The manager knows what I can do, especially with playing in the last World Cup and gaining that experience. I look forward to seeing what happens but I will do whatever it takes to get on the plane, like I did last time.
“I always say that if you put in the hard work, it pays off.”