Tottenham ace Defoe tells Portsmouth to forget about Europe

Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe has told his former Portsmouth teammates to forget about playing in Europe next season.

After reaching the FA Cup final, Pompey are appealing to UEFA to be allowed into the Europa League, despite their administration status.

But Defoe told the Mirror: "Yes, they have done magnificently in reaching the FA Cup Final and, therefore, qualifying for Europe.

"And yes, it would be a major incentive for manager Avram Grant to stay on.

"But I can tell them from first-hand experience that if they want to bounce back to the Premier League then the Europa League may not be the best thing for them.

"The volume of games will be much higher and the need for a big squad is ­paramount. Where are they going to get the money to boost the squad in the way that they need to?

"Not only that, but the travelling really does take its toll."