I was right to leave Spurs for Pompey, insists England starter Jermain Defoe

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The striker has gained a new lease of life since leaving White Hart Lane for the south coast in January and was rewarded with a place in the starting XI by England head coach Fabio Capello.

No substitute: Jermain Defoe (left) gets his shot off ahead of Oguchi Onyewu

Although he missed a close-range chance Defoe admitted he was delighted that the England manager had faith in him.

He said: "The manager told me to try and get in behind defenders - just like I now do for my club.

"I felt so much sharper. When you are playing regularly you feel stronger. I feel fit and I feel so much better."

Defoe struggled to cement a regular place in the Tottenham first team after finding himself behind Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane in the striking pecking order.