Rangers news: Jermain Defoe reveals how Steven Gerrard used Liverpool to convince him to j - Daily Star

Rangers' Jermain Defoe reveals how Steven Gerrard used Liverpool to convince him to join

JERMAIN DEFOE says Steven Gerrard compared Rangers to Liverpool in order to convince him to move north of the border.

Rangers news Jermain Defoe Steven Gerrard Liverpool

Jermain Defoe in enjoying life with Steven Gerrard at Rangers (Pic: GETTY)

The striker was at Bournemouth when the Reds legend came calling.

Defoe had made just eight appearances for the Cherries in the first five months of their current campaign.

Never one to turn down a challenge, the 36-year-old accepted Gerrard's offer and moved to Ibrox in January on an 18-month loan.

The former Tottenham star scored on his first Rangers start against Kilmarnock, meaning he's netted on debut for 5 of his last 7 clubs.

Speaking about Gerrard, Defoe explained how he persuaded him to start afresh at the point where most players would be thinking about retirement.

"He has been brilliant," he said. "He has been relaxed and calm. He hasn't changed from when we used to play.

"As England captain he was always calm. You get some people that will scream and shout but he was never really one of those players.

"He had that presence where he didn't need to to be honest."

Jermaine Defoe's praise of Steven Gerrard comes amid news that:

(Pic: GETTY)

"I remember speaking to the manager on the phone and he seemed so excited," he continued.

"He said, 'Jermain trust me, I have known you for years and if I didn't feel this was right for you I would never tell you to come but you need to come and see. This is a massive football club and it reminds me of Liverpool.'

"We have the same agent, Struan who is a Rangers fan, and I remember him phoning me at home in Bournemouth.

"He said 'put the game on'. It was a European game here. I watched the second half. I watched the atmosphere.

(Pic: GETTY)

"To be honest I remember phoning back and saying 'Stru make it happen'.

"I wasn't playing football at Bournemouth. I wasn't getting on the pitch and I couldn't understand why.

"Even my time at West Ham and Tottenham there were times I was injured and couldn't get back in the team there were always times I felt I could come off the bench and make an impact.

"But at Bournemouth for some reason it wasn't happening. So I said to Stru, for me it's a blessing to get an opportunity to come to another massive football club and hopefully do well. It was an easy decision."