Gary Lineker doubles down on Kane, England criticism after BBC left ’embarrassed’ and ‘irritated’ by host
Gary Lineker insists his criticism of Harry Kane and England was “fair” amid claims BBC staff were left ’embarrassed’ and ‘irritated’ by the host of their Euro 2024 coverage.
Lineker made headlines earlier in the tournament after he called England’s draw with Denmark “sh*t” on his podcast having claimed Kane needed to “do more” live on air.
‘It was sh*t’
“I mean, you can think of all sorts of words and expletives if you like, but it was s***,” Lineker said on the Rest is Football podcast.
“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?”
His comments drew responses from both Southgate and Kane, who claimed ex-players like Lineker should know better, while Lineker himself ‘didn’t give a f***’ about the backlash having accused a journalist of ‘pot stirring’.
MORE ON ENGLAND AT EURO 2024 FROM F365
👉 Harry Kane is England’s President Biden as Euro 2024 final ‘is not a testimonial’
👉 Why England’s shambolic stagger to the final could be better than Spain’s imperious march
👉 England’s starting XI has played over 1200 more minutes than Spain’s in Germany
‘Everyone’ was critical
A report earlier this week claimed BBC staff were left feeling ‘uncomfortable and embarrassed by the furore’, but Lineker has doubled down on his crticism ahead of the final, insisting his comments were “fair”.
“Let’s be honest about it, England are in the final despite not playing very well when the tournament started,” he told BBC Sport.
“It feels like a lot has been made of the BBC’s analysis of the team, and particularly Harry Kane, when that was happening, but all we did was say what we thought. We were critical of the first few performances, but everyone was.
“And even the England players and manager have said since then that there was something wrong in the group games, but they are over it now and they have been improving. On the BBC, we were basically just saying that too.
“There were never any personal attacks at all, on Harry or anyone else, because that is not our style – but we do have to be honest about what we see. I think Harry would be the first to agree that he was not at his best but I feel like we have been fair on him and the team.
“The only time I have talked about him myself was from a tactical and technical point of view, speaking as a former striker, about how he does not really run in behind so you have got to get other players to do that. If those players are not doing it either, England have got a really good alternative in Ollie Watkins, who plays an entirely different game to Harry even though they are both number nines.”
