Jermain Defoe: Sunderland striker's retirement 'a shock' to club
- Published
Jermain Defoe made two starts and five substitute appearances for Sunderland after rejoining in February
Sunderland boss Alex Neil has said striker Jermain Defoe gave no indication he was planning to retire.
The 39-year-old former England international returned to the Black Cats on 1 February but hung up his boots last week.
He failed to score in his seven appearances for the League One side.
"I'll be honest, it was a bit of a shock. There wasn't a lot of conversations prior to it," Neil told BBC Radio Newcastle.
"He trained that day and he trained well and then the next minute we got word that he felt that he wanted to call it a day.
"It's difficult, particularly for someone like Jermain with the career he had, because you know as a player when you feel it's time. Unfortunately for Jermain he got to that point.
"I've spoken to him since but at the time it was a shock to everybody. It certainly wasn't something that was being spoken about regularly, maybe behind the scenes, but it wasn't a conversation me and him had had.
"He's made the decision now and we have to respect it and wish him all the best."
Defoe scored 304 goals in 762 career club games and added 20 goals in 57 England appearances.
As well as two stints on Wearside, he had spells with West Ham, Tottenham, Portsmouth, Toronto, Bournemouth and Rangers.
He left the Scottish Premiership side in January before signing a deal until the end of the season at the Stadium of Light.
Defoe was unable to recapture the form from his first spell at Sunderland, when he had scored 34 goals in 87 Premier League games, and his final action as a professional footballer came on 19 March when he played the final 16 minutes of a 0-0 draw at Lincoln City.
Jermain Defoe's 762nd and final appearance as a professional footballer came against Lincoln City