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BBC staff are reportedly unhappy about Gary Lineker’s criticism of England manager Gareth Southgate on his podcast during Euro 2024.
Lineker generated headlines earlier in Euro 2024 after branding England’s performance in their 1-1 draw against Denmark as being ‘s***’.
The Three Lions have since booked their place in the Euro 2024 final, with Southgate’s side facing Spain on Sunday in the Berlin showpiece.
A number of England’s star players – including the likes of Harry Kane and Declan Rice – fired back at Lineker with his comments dominating the build-up to their final group stage match.
BBC staff were reportedly left ‘unhappy and uncomfortable’ by Gary Lineker’s criticisms of England manager Gareth Southgate on his ‘The Rest is Football’ podcast
Lineker appeared to suggest Southgate was ‘tactically inept’ as he branded England’s performance as ‘s***’ against Denmark, but the Three Lions have since reached the Euros final
BBC staff were reportedly ’embarrassed’ over Lineker drinking red wine as he recorded episodes of his podcast
According to The Telegraph, BBC staff at Euro 2024 felt ‘unhappy, uncomfortable and embarrassed’ by Lineker’s direct criticism of Southgate on his podcast.
‘You can think of all sorts of words and expletives if you like, but it was s***,’ Lineker said after the Denmark draw.
‘Was it tactically inept? They’re just a little bit lost tactically. And that comes from the manager, I’m afraid. It really does. He’s got to get England playing higher up the pitch, as a unit. Because at the moment they’re not a unit. Are they not coached to play that?
‘He’s an amazing leader, he’s a great communicator, he’s transformed the public’s opinion of the national team and the players. But, tactically, the first game, and we’ve seen it in other tournaments as well.
‘England kind of start OK and then get a goal and then everything changes, and it’s almost like the kind of tactics of, get a lead, hang onto it. And the game’s moved on from that.’
The Telegraph reported that BBC staff were left ’embarrassment’ after Lineker and pundit Micah Richards seen with glasses of red wine as they dissected the Denmark game on the podcast.
Lineker’s comments had dominated the build-up to England’s final Euro 2024 group match
Lineker later poked fun at the furore over his comments during the final round of group stage matches, stating ‘If Albania fail to win tonight, England are officially through to the last 16.
‘Because even if they lose tomorrow they will go through as one of the best third-placed teams. I wish people would stop being so critical of them.’
Southgate had insisted that he was ‘oblivious’ to Lineker’s remarks but admitted that he had ‘the one word’ that the BBC pundit uttered in his criticisms.
Lineker later claimed that journalists were ‘not being brave enough to ask their own questions’ at the tournament, after England captain Kane claimed pundits were using negative comments to ‘promote their own channels’ because they ‘want the most views’.
The episode where the pundits defend themselves against Kane’s accusations received over 540,000 views on YouTube, making it the fourth most viewed show on their channel.
Lineker’s son, Harry, who produces the football podcast, revealed last month that the show’s downloads had risen by 62 per cent since the start of the competition, while views on YouTube are up 83 per cent.
Lineker has just 12 months remaining on his £1.35m-a-year deal at the BBC.
The presenter has reportedly been snubbed from presenting the BBC’s new Champions League highlights programme next season, bringing into question his future on Match of the Day.
The BBC signed a groundbreaking three-year deal back in 2022 to broadcast highlights of Europe’s elite club competition from the start of the 2024-25 campaign, with 16 shows planned on Wednesday evenings from September to May.
Lineker has a year left on his BBC contract and will reportedly not present their Champions League highlights show next season
Gabby Logan is said to have been chosen to present the new BBC show in favour of Lineker
Gabby Logan has reportedly been picked instead been picked by BBC bosses.
There was already a lack of clarity over whether his contract would be extended after his suspension from Match of the Day last year, which led to several of his fellow pundits striking in solidarity, something that embarrassed leading BBC figures.
Lineker was reprimanded by the BBC in March 2023 after posting on social media that the Conservative government’s language around asylum policy was ‘not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s’.
These comments caused significant controversy and resulted in the BBC taking him off Match of the Day that week, with Alan Shearer and Ian Wright among those to strike in protest at the decision.
