Gary Lineker quits, Alan Shearer leaves – BBC's ultimate Match of the Day nightmare

Gary Lineker has been the look of the BBC's Match of the Day for a 4th of a period now, but it looked arsenic though the pundit was connected his mode retired the doorway earlier this period erstwhile a reported email leak surfaced

What would hap if Gary Lineker was to permission Match of the Day?

The Saturday evening shot highlights amusement surely wouldn't beryllium the aforesaid without its big of 25 years, with Lineker dedicating astir of his punditry vocation to the BBC. However, earlier this month, speculation was rife that the erstwhile Spurs and Leicester striker's tenure with the Beeb was closing.

With the big retired of declaration astatine the extremity of the existent Premier League campaign, galore person pondered whether Lineker volition beryllium astir for 2025/26. The rumour mill started churning erstwhile a reported email involving manager of athletics Alex Kay-Jelski and an exit connection for Lineker was leaked earlier this month.

Thankfully, the BBC was speedy to clarify that they had nary plans to fto Lineker go, releasing a connection that read: "We person thing to announce, and we person not agreed connected the adjacent steps regarding his contract. He is connected declaration until the extremity of the season."

But what would hap if Lineker decided to vacate his post, and co-host Alan Shearer followed him retired the door? And who would the BBC look to bring successful to beforehand the programme? Here, Mirror Football looks into a nightmare 2025 for the BBC...

Gary Lineker leaves the BBC

Lineker has pledged his allegiance to the BBC for galore moons now, but his declaration with the corp expires astatine the extremity of the existent Premier League campaign. His 2023/24 published wage for his duties came successful astatine a whopping £1.35million - making him the BBC's apical earner - but sources study that the stalwart is consenting to instrumentality a flimsy wage chopped to support his job.

A root told The Sun past month: "Gary is hugely fashionable with some fans and players alike. The consciousness is that, with truthful overmuch uncertainty and ungraded astatine the BBC close now, viewers are crying retired for a harmless brace of hands. Gary has agelong maintained that the BBC provides fantabulous worth for wealth - and has rather virtually enactment his wealth wherever his rima is and offered to instrumentality a important wage cut."

Meanwhile, connected his The Rest Is Football podcast, Lineker explained: "It's been a unusual fewer days. As you know, similar Trent [Alexander-Arnold], similar Virgil [van Dijk], similar Mo [Salah], I americium coming to the extremity of my declaration successful the summer.

"It's earthy astatine immoderate constituent that you person to person conversations, and they've conscionable started. I don't cognize wherefore it each spiralled retired of control, but each is okay."

While Lineker is expected to participate declaration negotiations with the BBC this month, what happens should the presenter neglect to onslaught a deal? While his existent occupation relation provides him with rather the wealth, Lineker is nary uncertainty acceptable for beingness acknowledgment to his footballing and punditry career, arsenic good arsenic lucrative marque deals with the likes of Walkers.

With a nett worthy believed to beryllium successful the £30million range, Lineker could beryllium backmost and bask status should helium take to portion ways with the BBC - however, with years inactive near successful him astatine 63, the pundit would find enactment elsewhere instantly.

The BBC would beryllium pressed with the task of uncovering idiosyncratic to capable Lineker's monolithic shoes if helium chooses to depart, and portion a wealthiness of names person been brought up successful speech implicit caller months, it could beryllium argued that nary comparison to Lineker and everything helium has achieved.

Match of the Day 2 presenter Mark Chapman could marque the determination to the main measure of programming, portion ex-England and Arsenal defender Alex Scott could besides effort her manus arsenic a imperishable fixture of the show. Other names which could capable Lineker's spot see Gabby Logan, Jason Mohammad, Kelly Sommers, and adjacent Theo Walcott.

A domino effect

What could beryllium tougher than solely replacing Lineker connected Match of the Day? Replacing some Lineker and Shearer, of course. The 2 person enjoyed a budding punditry vocation alongside 1 different implicit the years, and their on-screen rapport is undoubtedly a merchandise of their long-standing friendship.

Should Lineker permission the show, past what would determination beryllium to forestall Shearer from doing the same? After all, the Newcastle United fable has antecedently shown solidarity with his person and workfellow successful the past. Lineker was temporarily relieved of his duties aft comparing connection utilized successful the Tory Government's migration argumentation to that of Nazi Germany connected societal media past March - with the BBC citing that Lineker had breached its guidelines connected politics.

While his prohibition was short-lived, the effects of it were catastrophic connected the BBC. Match of the Day was chopped down to a 20-minute showing without commentary oregon workplace investigation - arsenic Shearer and Ian Wright stood with Lineker successful "solidarity", refusing to look without the main host.

Should Lineker and Shearer some permission the show, the BBC could beryllium forced to rapidly find replacements - and who knows if they would ever unrecorded up to the iconic concern who are beloved by shot fans for their footballing knowledge, analysis, charisma and speedy wit?

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