“I suppose these things happen in football,” Defoe told reporters.
“People say things when they are a little bit down or upset. He pulled me into his office and said he didn’t mean it. He was honest with me.
“He said he wanted me to stay at this club and get goals, and said he wanted to achieve something special. He is a good manager with great ideas, so it’s good.
“I said to him, ‘What do you think? Am I part of it?’ He said, ‘Yes, you are definitely part of it. If you get a chance, take it’.
“There are four top forwards here and I understand that. The competition is hard and if you get a chance you have to take it.
“Maybe at the time, by saying I could go, it was psychology, but it’s something I don’t think about. I just want to do my best for the team.”
