Returning home: Jermain Defoe leaves England's hotel in
Krakow (below) following the tragic death of his father, Jimmy
Jermain Defoe has flown home to London after the
striker was rocked by the news that his father Jimmy has died
following his battle with throat cancer.
The Tottenham star could now miss the opening game against
France on Monday due to the bereavement with the 29-year-old
granted permission to leave England's base in Poland to be with his
family.
Defoe was part of manager Roy Hodgson's 23-man party who
arrived in Krakow on Wednesday but is expected to return 'in due
course'.
A statement from the Football Association read: 'England
striker Jermain Defoe has returned home to England this morning
following the passing of his father overnight.
'Jermain will re-join the England Euro squad in due
course. There will be no replacement player called in.'
Defoe left England's hotel ten minutes before the rest of
the squad boarded a coach for their first training session in
Poland having only arrived in the country on Wednesday
evening.
The Daily Mail has learned that England manager Roy
Hodgson was 'aware' of the illness affecting Defoe's 47-year-old
father and knew there was a possibility that the player might have
to return home to be with family and friends sometime during the
tournament.
Going back: Defoe, who departed Luton for Poland on
Wednesday, will now fly back to London to be with his family
'Jermain's father had been ill for some time,'
said an FA source. 'He had been
treated for throat cancer at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London
for some time so this was not a bolt from the blue for
Jermain.
'He was told the sad news that his father had passed away
overnight and we made plans for him to fly home as soon as
possible.
'Jermain is a strong lad and was quite pragmatic about
events. Roy Hodgson felt it was right that he flew back immediately
to be with his family.
Tragic: Defoe's father Jimmy has passed away
'He will miss at least two days of training prior
to the opening match against France on Monday therefore we do not
know if he will play any part in that game.'
As Defoe flew home his England teammates took part in a
'closed' training session in Krakow.
Joe Hart was asked about Defoe in a press conference and
he said the squad would welcome the player back when he saw fit to
return.
'We'll be ready for him when he wants to return,'
explained the goalkeeper.
Eight years ago it was revealed that Defoe's dreadlocked
father Jimmy, 39 — who split with Jermain's mum when he was a baby
— was living on £53.05 a week benefit.
The jobless decorator lived in a small shared flat in
Forest Gate, East London, just six miles from where his millionaire
son was then living with his mother Sandra.
Jimmy was reportedly not receiving any financial help from
Jermain but said at the time: 'I am so proud of him. He is a
fantastic player. But we live in different worlds.'
Jimmy married Sandra in 1981 but the couple split soon
after Jermain was born in 1982.
Defoe then stayed with his mother who has since
remarried.
Tottenham passed on their condolences to the forward. A
statement on the Barclays Premier League club's official website
read: 'Jermain Defoe has returned home from the England squad base
in Poland this morning after receiving the sad news of the passing
away of his father overnight.
Doubt: The FA expect Defoe to return to the squad in
'due course' although it is not known whether he will now miss the
opening game against France
'Everyone at the Club sends their sincere
condolences to Jermain and his family.'
Tributes and message of support instantly poured out on
social networking site Twitter.
Ipswich and former Arsenal forward Jay Emmanuel Thomas was
one of the first to send his sympathies to Defoe. He posted: 'Rest
In Peace Jimmy Defoe 7/6/2012'.
It is the latest family tragedy to hit Defoe. In 2009 he
was left reeling after his 26-year-old half-brother Jade was
murdered following an attack in east London before his grandmother
passed away at the funeral.
The FA and England manager Roy Hodgson will offer Defoe as
much time off as he needs and still view the 29-year-old as a
central component of the squad, even though he was unlikely to
start against France.
It was Defoe whose goal against Slovenia in the last World
Cup propelled England into the knockout phase, although he has been
a peripheral figure for much of the European Championship
qualifying campaign after scoring a hat-trick in the win over
Bulgaria in September 2010.
With Wayne Rooney suspended, either Danny Welbeck or Andy
Carroll will get the nod against the French, with Ashley Young
expected to operate just behind.
