Pre-season goals a big boost, admits Defoe

The England international believes his strikes for Spurs in their 6-0 demolition of South China bode well ahead of the coming campaign

Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe believes his pre-season goals can help him get off to a good start in this season's Premier League.

The England international bagged a hat-trick in the 6-0 demolition of South China on Saturday, after only coming off the bench in the 3-1 defeat to Sunderland in the Barclays Asia Trophy.

Defoe, who scored 11 goals in 34 Premier League games for Spurs last season, now feels he can keep on scoring going into the new season.

Defoe told Spurs TV: “In my experience, over the years, when you’re scoring goals they just keep coming, and when you’ve had a good pre-season, you’re scoring goals that lead you into the start of the season.

“I want to get off to a good start and it’s important in pre-season games that not only me but all the lads feel fit and sharp.

“It’s important to have that confidence going into the games, you get the chances, you don’t even think about it, you believe that you’re going to score and when you’ve got that belief, good things happen.”

Tottenham’s win over South China meant they sealed third place in the Asia Tophy, and Defoe insists that, despite the tournament’s relative low-profile, it is important to win pre-season games.

“You want to come here and you want to win games,” he added.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s pre-season. It’s important to get that winning mentality going into the season, and getting that spirit in the dressing room.”

Defoe is in his second stint at White Hart Lane, after rejoining Spurs from Portsmouth in 2009.