Chris Sutton has defended Jermain Defoe on Twitter after a Celtic fan claimed the Rangers new signing was “past it”.
The high-profile pundit claimed the striker, 36, can make a huge impact at Ibrox after joining on an 18-month loan deal earlier this month.
Responding to a critical Bhoy on his personal Twitter account, Sutton claimed he has “no doubt” Defoe “will finish” the opportunities to score that come his way and that he “deserves respect” for a “great career”.
For all the people who knock Jermaine Defoe. He has had a great career and I have no doubt if given the opportunities will finish. He maybe past it I don’t know and time will tell! Celtics young exciting talent may not come off as well but they might! But Defoe deserves respect?? https://t.co/UDox7LRUyw
— Chris Sutton (@chris_sutton73) January 25, 2019
OPINION
Judging by Sutton’s tweet, he’s had lorry loads of Celtic fans having a go at Defoe, who has been hailed as a game changing signing in the title race. The 36-year-old marked his debut for Rangers with a goal on Wednesday night at Kilmarnock, but his new side sunk to a 2-1 defeat on a night when the Hoops strolled to a 4-0 triumph against St Mirren. The battle for the SPL is now being billed as one between Rangers’ ‘Dad’s Army’ of proven stars whose legs are going – led by Defoe, Steven Davis, Allan McGregor and company – against Celtic’s young guns following a string of youthful January acquisitions. That ignores the face the Hoops have plenty of senior men of their own, led by Craig Gordon, Mikael Lustig, Scott Brown and the others who have been central to the seven-in-a-row dominance and total dominance of Scottish football for most of the last decade. As Sutton points out, only time will tell which strategy is most effective.