Jermain Defoe insists he was "forced" by Steven Gerrard to become a player-coach in his final months at Rangers.

The former striker began his coaching career in 2021 when he was handed a role in his ex-England team-mates backroom staff.

However, after Gerrard joined Aston Villa, Defoe was left in limbo when Giovanni van Bronckhorst joined the Ibrox side.

The 41-year-old eventually joined Sunderland in January 2022 where he eventually finished his career.

And he claims he was not ready for coaching role while at the Light Blues.

Speaking to Troy Deeney on the Football Firsts podcast, Defoe said: “Before I went to Sunderland, I hadn’t played in about two or three months.

"Stevie (Gerrard) went and Giovanni van Bronckhorst came in. I had a meeting with him and he basically said to me, ‘listen, what’s this player/coach thing?’.

"‘I see you in training, you’re sharp, what’s the situation? Do you want to play or do you want to coach?’

“I said I want to play. To be totally honest, I didn’t even want the player/coach role. It was forced upon me.

"So I decided to go to Sunderland.”

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Meanwhile, Jack Butland did not once consider leaving Rangers in January amid Premier League transfer interest.

The Ibrox goalkeeper was wanted by clubs down south last month but neither he or Rangers chiefs entertained an approach.

Instead, Butland remained completely locked-in on matters in Glasgow as he continued to develop a "connection" at Rangers.

The goalkeeper, 30, is in contention for the England squad once more after an impressive start to life in Scotland and, crucially, fells like the unmatched happiness he is experiencing at Rangers is a reward for his patience and perseverance throughout his career.

Asked whether he was ever tempted by the Premier League interest, Butland told BBC Sport: "None.

"There's a feeling and a connection here that I haven't felt at a club for a long time. You don't give that up easily.

"The eight months I've spent here have been a really, really special period in my career.

"This goes to the top [in terms of happiness] because it's almost like a reward for the perseverance and patience I showed."