We are at Bournemouth, the club where Jermain Defoe and Jamie Redknapp launched their careers.

In the 17 years since scoring 12 goals in his first 10 League games here, Defoe has hit 159 Premier League goals, another 20 for England, and captured the nation's hearts through his friendship with young Sunderland fan Bradley Lowery, who tragically died in July.

This is what happened when the former Tottenham team-mates caught up this week. Sportsmail's James Restall listened in.

In the summer, Jermain Defoe returned to the club where it all started for him as a footballer

Jamie Redknapp: This is where it all started for you, coming to Bournemouth and breaking records. How did the return come about? The easy option would have been to go down to the Championship and score loads of goals...

Jermain Defoe: It was an easy decision. I want to play in the Premier League. I've scored 15 goals in each of the last two seasons. I still feel sharp, I look after myself. I had other options but thought it would be such a great place to be for the manager, the team finishing ninth in the Premier League, the spirit they had.

When I watched Bournemouth I remembered the chances they created. I'd kept in touch with Jason Tindall, the assistant manager. A lot of the staff are people I played with: Steve Fletcher, Stephen Purches and Richard Hughes.

JR: But this isn't the club you remember, is it? If someone had said to you then that this club was going to have Premier League football now, you'd never have believed it.

JD: Watching it happen, I always thought, 'Imagine going back there'. It would be unbelievable. I lived with Jason. We used to wash our own kit. I can't remember where the training ground was — I think it was rugby pitches. To see how far the club has come is a unique story. It's a special place.

Defoe has seen Bournemouth rise from the lower leagues to the top division during his career

JR: You've always loved scoring. Even in training your face would light up. When you hit the winner earlier this month against Brighton, you looked as excited as I've ever seen you.

JD: When we equalised, I knew I was going to get the winner. The day before the game I said to Jase, 'Get a few balls and knock it down the side, I'm going to turn and finish it.' We did that for five minutes. It's exactly what happened in the game. Jordon (Ibe) got it, as soon as he played it I didn't even look. I just turned — bang — across the keeper. When it went in... unbelievable.

JR: It's not been the best start for Bournemouth. What do you put it down to?

JD: I don't know. The lads do everything right. There's a room where you watch clips, not just after games but after training. The manager wants you to improve every day.

We were unlucky against Man City. We played well against Everton. We stuck to the game plan perfectly but didn't really manage the game towards the end. Even watching the video, there were so many positives. If we keep playing the way we are now then it will come.

Defoe says watching the Cherries work their way to the Premier League has been unbelievable

JR: You're 34 now and looking in as good a shape as I remember you aged 21 at Tottenham.

JD: I always say I'm part of the old school. At West Ham, there were the likes of Razor Ruddock, Trevor Sinclair, Paolo Di Canio, Wrighty. I was like a sponge. How Trev used to run in pre-season — effortless, fit. Di Canio's work ethic — he was always the best player on the pitch because he was so professional.

On a day off he would be in the gym. Wrighty's finishing. I used to take in everything. I had a fitness guy called Tiberius (Darau) in Cannes. I'd go in the summer and work hard. All explosive stuff. He used to say, 'I'm going to put an extra five years on your career'. It was tough but I always felt good during the season.

JR: Will Eddie Howe ever say, 'Jermain, have a day off?'

JD: The gaffer says, 'If you need a down day come and tell me, no problem'. We get one day off a week anyway. But I always want to be out there.

JR: Do you still get the bag of balls after training? That's what I always remember about you.

JD: Always. When I was younger I could stay out there for an hour. Do that now and I've got a sore groin! Training is intense.

Upon getting the chance to return to his former club, Defoe says it was a 'no-brainer'

JR: I bet you've changed the work ethic with the forwards. Do you say to Josh King and Benik Afobe, let's do a bit of finishing after training?

JD: You want to stay behind and do a little bit extra. Josh and Benik love it — we have little competitions. Even in the gym it is competitive. I'm looking at the young ones and thinking, I've got to keep up here — even when I'm away with England. With England, the lads who don't play train the next day. I didn't feel like I'd done enough, so I did a few runs, and a couple of the other boys came over.

Gareth (Southgate) pulled me over and said the younger lads see that and think if JD's doing that and he's 34, then I'll come over and do it. Rashford came up to me and spoke to me about finishing. I said to him before the last game (against Slovakia), 'Are you going to score for me today?' He said, 'I'm going to score because we've done finishing in training.'

JR: What's Rashford like to work with?

JD: He's unbelievable. The sky is the limit for him. Before games he is calm and relaxed — then goes out and produces. It's only a matter of time before he starts scoring 20, 25 goals a season.

Defoe considers himself part of an older generation but is determined to prolong his career

The England international has been giving tips to Manchester United star Marcus Rashford

JR: Sergio Aguero, Romelu Lukaku, Harry Kane, Alvaro Morata. If you were a manager, who would be your first choice of those four?

JD: I've always loved Harry. Before Tottenham bought (Roberto) Soldado, I remember saying to the lads that Harry should be in the first team — even if it's just cup games. I'd be in the treatment room and he'd come in.

I'd say, 'How many goals did you score for the Under 21s today?' He'd say, 'Two, three...' Why were they not pushing him through? When I was at West Ham, that's what it was like. If you're good enough, you're playing. But if I had to pick one of those strikers, it would be Aguero. He's just unbelievable. Champions League? He'll do it. Tournaments? He'll do it.

JR: Do you think Rashford has the capability to get to that level?

JD: I think so, once he has that first season when he's scored 20 goals. You've already seen how he's scored a few goals and looks confident with his finishing now.

JR: In the Premier League era, who was your dream strike partner?

JD: Wrighty loved Dennis Bergkamp. It was a little bit like that when Rafael van der Vaart came to Tottenham. He always seemed two steps ahead. He would get it and if I was on it with my movement I would score. He would make it easy. Little balls down the side that I could just finish.

JR: When I first played with you, I thought you'd only be able to play in a two. What has impressed me is that you've developed your game so you can play on your own.

Defoe feels Rashford could go on to match the level of Manchester City star Sergio Aguero

Defoe says Rafael van der Vaart was one of his favourite team-mates to play with

JD: I remember playing up front on my own against Bulgaria. We won 4-0 and I scored a hat-trick. I didn't feel like I got out of second gear. Rooney was No 10 and was unbelievable to play with. I took my time, concentrated on my movement and thought, when Wazza gets it I'm going to come alive.

That's when I thought I can play as a lone striker. It's about being patient. There were times I'd get frustrated because I wasn't getting enough touches. But I'm not going to come deeper. If I do, I'm not helping the team because there's no outlet up front.

JR: The World Cup must be in the back of your mind...

JD: From when I was young I always wanted to play at one tournament. At the World Cup in South Africa, I was like a little kid. When you've done that you want to do it again. If it happens of course it would be a dream, but I'm quite relaxed about it.

JR: Why do England struggle at tournaments? We had an incredibly talented group of young players at Euro 2016.

JD: Even before then. I've got a squad picture at my mum's house. The other week I was going through the names: Gary Neville, Phil Neville, Sol Campbell, Jamie Carragher, Ashley Cole, Jonathan Woodgate, Stevie G, Frank, Scholesy, Rooney, Heskey, Crouch and Michael Owen.

Maybe it's the mindset and the pressure. But if you look at this group now, it's such a good time to do something special at a tournament.

The diminutive striker announced himself in the lone role with a hat-trick against Bulgaria

Defoe reveals he is still feeling young and fresh despite approaching 35 years old

JR: You haven't got an ounce of fat on you — you're like Floyd Mayweather! How much longer do you want to go on for?

JD: I've been lucky with injuries. With sports science now, you get so much. Everything you need, you get — the facilities, the ice baths, the cryotherapy. Even on hard training days, I always feel I can recover 100 per cent. I'll take each day as it comes and see how I feel.

JR: When you went to Toronto, did you ever think you'd be back in the Premier League scoring goals at 34?

JD: I thought that was it. I thought I'd be there for four years and probably sign for even longer, similar to Robbie (Keane), Thierry (Henry) and Becks. I just felt there was something missing. The intensity of the Premier League. I spoke to your dad and said I missed it. I nearly went to QPR.

JR: I saw dad on the way here and he said he wanted to sign you one last time at Birmingham! Do you see yourself becoming a manager?

JD: I'd like to do my badges. At Sunderland, I'd see a few young lads doing finishing and would try to help them. There are things I'll say that maybe a coach hasn't. To give something back would be nice — even if it's as a striker coach.

We have a strikers' coach with England. The stuff he does is match related — little sharp stuff around the box. I enjoy it. While I'm doing it I think, 'I could do this'.

The former Portsmouth star says Premier League defenders are now nicer than the old guard

JR: Who was your toughest opponent in the Premier League?

JD: I remember playing against Southgate and (Ugo) Ehiogu. There was one game at Upton Park where someone flicked it on, Ehiogu put his head down and I broke his nose. He came back out with stitches and battered me in the second half!

It was always difficult playing against (Nemanja) Vidic and (Rio) Ferdinand. Vidic was aggressive and gave everything. Just that old-school defender. And Rio just had everything.

JR: He's not a boxer though, is he?

JD: I'll fight him next if he wins!

JR: Do you think defenders are nicer now?

JD: A lot nicer. It is easier for strikers — not scoring goals, but in terms of the physical side. I played against Martin Keown and he was pinching my back and stuff like that. It's scary. You don't want to play against him. He must have loved that because it put people off their game. I couldn't imagine that happening now.

JR: Have you set yourself a goal target? If I said you could sign for 10 now, would you take it?

JD: I'd want more than that. If I get 10, Kingy gets 10 and Benik gets 10 then that's good. At Sunderland everything was, 'Make chances for JD and we'll score'. We've got goals in the team. Kingy will score, Benik will score. You'll get goals from Junior (Stanislas) and the midfield.

Defoe says there is not a day that goes by where he does not think about Bradley Lowery

The striker formed an unlikely friendship with the Sunderland fan before he passed away

JR: What you did with Bradley Lowery... you went above and beyond to help a family and a young man.

JD: I think about him every day. I've got some nice pictures in the house. The best one for me was the England game (against Lithuania). It was my first time back in the squad.

I remember coming down the tunnel, he gave me a little cuddle, and Joe Hart said go to the front with Brads. I sang the national anthem with him. My family were there, we won, I scored. That was the perfect day. His family came to the Man City game and stayed with me over the weekend. I'm still in contact with them.

JR: Do we not focus enough on the good footballers do?

JD: People would say that it's refreshing to see a footballer do this. But a lot of the lads do charity stuff. With Bradley, it was almost like I was flying the flag for all of the players who do charity work. I knew it was a big thing but it just felt normal. I remember going to the hospital.

He was in bed, I walked in and he jumped up. Gemma, his mum, would say, 'He's not moved all day. He won't eat, he won't talk. He's in pain but as soon as you walk in he jumps up'. When I used to leave, I would feel different. Even if it was after a game we'd lost, I would go and see Brads, walk out and feel good. Football is not the most important thing in the world.