Jermain Defoe reacts to Nathan Broadhead's winner for Sunderland while appearing as TV pundit for Tottenham vs Newcastle match

The 39-year-old announced last month that he would not be seeing out the season with Sunderland, after making an emotional return to the club on deadline day in January.

Defoe’s decision has left the Black Cats short of attacking options, yet he has spoken about not blocking the pathway of players coming back from injury.

Nathan Broadhead, who has been sidelined with a hamstring issue, came off the bench for Sunderland to score a stoppage-time winner against Gillingham at the Stadium of Light.

The following day Defoe appeared as a pundit as his former side Tottenham beat Newcastle 5-1, when the striker opened up further on his decision.

“I spoke to someone the other day and I said if it's a series on Netflix then it'd be great,” said Defoe. “I come back and we get into the play-offs, get into the play-off final and then get promoted. But it's football and you just never know what is going to happen.

"When you get to the back end of your career and you're in and out of the team and not really playing then I think it becomes harder, because what happens is if you don't play on the Saturday then the Sunday you might be training.

"I feel like when you're not playing it’s almost like you're training harder to get yourself up to speed.

"Before I went back to Sunderland I hadn't played anywhere for like six months so I was trying to get up to speed which was difficult anyway.

"You get little niggles and I felt restricted in terms of my movement and sprinting just in case I pull a hamstring or my ankles get stiff and stuff like that.

“It wasn't only that but, I’ve mentioned it before, about blocking the way for someone else coming through. There are young players coming back from injury, good players.

“You saw yesterday with Broady coming on and scoring the goal was fantastic. I didn't really want to block the way for someone else coming back."

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