Jermain Defoe's first job in management has come to a premature end, with Woking confirming on Thursday that the 43-year-old has left the National League club just 116 days after taking charge.
A club statement said the two parties had "mutually agreed to part ways with immediate effect," bringing the curtain down on a reign that produced two wins from six league matches and a 10th-placed finish last season, having taken over from Neal Ardley in late March.
The timing is particularly awkward for Woking, arriving barely a fortnight before the visit of Sutton United on the opening day of the new campaign.
Defoe addressed the news himself on Instagram, calling the experience valuable despite its abrupt conclusion.
"Unfortunately, circumstances have ultimately made it impossible for me to continue in the position," he wrote. "I am extremely proud of the work undertaken during my time at the club and genuinely felt that we were building something special.
"My time at Woking FC has been an eye-opening managerial experience and one that will undoubtedly make me stronger for the next challenge in my career."
His final match in charge came in a pre-season friendly on Tuesday, a 1-0 defeat to Braintree Town, only days after he had spoken publicly about believing the club could push for promotion to the EFL this season.
It marks a sudden change of direction for a managerial career that began at Woking following two years working within Tottenham's academy set-up, a role he left in 2024 specifically to pursue a head coaching position. Before that, Defoe had also spent time on the interim coaching staff at Rangers in 2021.
As a player, Defoe built one of the most prolific goalscoring records of his generation, netting 305 times in 763 senior appearances during spells with West Ham, Tottenham, Portsmouth and Sunderland among others, and adding 20 goals in 57 caps for England before retiring in 2022.
Woking will now need to move quickly to identify a successor with pre-season still under way and the National League season fast approaching.