Lineker accuses journalists of ‘silliness’ over England criticism as squad ‘totally understand’ his ‘fair’ views

Gary Lineker has hit back at suggestions that his podcast criticism of the England team is the reason Gareth Southgate left his post as manager.

Southgate announced on Tuesday that he had stepped down as Three Lions boss after eight largely successful years at the helm.

The former Middlesbrough boss guided England to a World Cup semi-final and back-to-back European Championship finals, narrowly falling short on both occasions.

Southgate leaves with his head held high despite criticism of his tactics and team selection throughout Euro 2024, which ultimately ended with a 2-1 loss to Spain in the Berlin final on Sunday.

Lineker as well as numerous other pundits and former players were critical of the England players and, at times, Southgate too for the Three Lions’ poor displays at the tournament.

England played largely within themselves until the semi-finals and Lineker labelled their display against Denmark in the group stage as “sh*t”, something the BBC presenter denies.

Speaking in an interview with The Guardian, Lineker said: “I got shafted a bit with that. I never said that either Harry Kane or England were s—. I listened back to make sure. I said ‘it’ was s—, ‘it’ being the game. But it goes to Harry as ‘Gary Lineker says you were s—’, which is a bit naughty.”

And on The Rest Is Football podcast, Lineker insists that he and his fellow pundits on the show have been “unquestionably fair” about England throughout the tournament.

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Lineker said: “We’ve been unquestionably fair on England. There’s no doubt about that. But I think… it’s time for change. Probably for Gareth’s wellbeing as well, because it must be such a tough job.”

Lineker had said he had been asked by journalists, “Do you think it’s because of what you said on the Rest Is Football at the start of the tournament?”
The former England striker added: “Honestly. They constantly try to put a wedge between us and players and management. Just the silliness of it.”

To which Manchester City and England defender Micah Richards said such suggestions were “totally unfair” on the duo and Alan Shearer.

On Southgate, Ricahards continued: “As a person, as a man, where he’s taken England, he’s done an amazing job. I just feel for him and for everyone moving forward, it was definitely the right decision.”

Discussing their criticism of Southgate earlier in the tournament, Lineker added: “We were critical at times, because you can’t say when a team is not playing very well, that they played well. If they played awfully, you say they played awfully, and they did in the early part of the tournament.

“There’s no question about that. But then to try and make it that that’s the reason, that criticism is the reason he’s gone. It’s not. It’s not that at all.

“We speak to the players and they totally understand where it’s coming from.”