Jermain Defoe: 'I do pack my own fridge' - Sunderland striker hits back at personal assistant job criticism

The Premier League player posted an advert seeking help for the running of his 'global brand'

Jermain Defoe arrives for Sunderland's 1-1 draw with Swansea on Saturday - in which he went on to score in

Jermain Defoe has hit back at criticism over an advert seeking a personal assistant and his insisted: "I do pack my own fridge".

The Sunderland striker was ridiculed when a job appeared on a secretarial website for the £60,000-a-year role. Duties for the "on call 24/7" role included creating "a global brand for the Jermain Defoe name", looking after the footballer's diary and making sure the "fridge is stocked and plants [are] watered and [the] house is clean".

The 32-year-old, who has scored 19 goals for England, explained the role is strongly linked to his charitable work.

"The job would support my family who have been trying to run my foundation," he told the Northern Echo.

"It's things like organising the gala dinners to try to raise funds, organising the trips to St Lucia so I can do my charity work and get the people over there who are needed to make the whole thing run.

"I don't see why it's such a big deal. To be honest, I wouldn't have called it a PA because I'm not someone who would ever say, 'Oh, this is my PA'. But that's not to say I don't need someone to help my family do some of the things I can't."

Other roles included in the advert, which Defoe says he did not see before it was posted, included launching a new app alongside "potential projects", including the creation of a new clothing/fragrance line.

Defoe added: "I'll hold my hand up - I can't do admin or accounts or stuff like that. I need help to do that, and hopefully that help will in turn help to change lives in St Lucia.

"That's my passion away from football, but I need help to do that.

"Am I really doing something that bad? A boy from East London trying to get on in life and do good things?

"I've read that I can't do this or can't do that, but yeah, I do pack my own fridge, and yeah, I do go and get the shopping near where I live, most days with my girlfriend."