A conversation with Graeme Souness while they were both working for Sky Sports partially influenced Jermain Defoe's decision to join Rangers on loan from Bournemouth for the remainder of the season.
Rangers manager Steven Gerrard - who shares an agent the striker - said earlier this week that his pitch to Defoe had been that this stage of his career, he's 36, should be about enjoyment and not being involved in a relegation battle.
Minutes on the pitch have been limited for Defoe over the past 18 months. He made just four substitute appearances for Bournemouth in the league this season.
Souness's assertion that the Old Firm Derby is the best in the world was another push.
"I have done a few bits for Sky Sports and was on there the day of the first Old Firm game of the season," Defoe told the Daily Record.
I was talking about the North London derby and Sunderland v Newcastle but Graeme just said ‘Trust me, Rangers v Celtic is the best derby in the world. Without a doubt. You will never experience anything like it.’ I was listening to him like ‘Wow!'
"When I was really young, I remember saying I’d like to at some stage play in Scotland, play in those crazy derbies, the best derbies in the world according to Graeme Souness," continued Defoe.
"I played in Scotland for England Under-15s. My mum still talks about it now. That was my first experience.
"I was really young then. I played against Celtic for West Ham. It was a game where Paolo Di Canio returned."
