‘I hosted Match of the Day for 24 years – this is my one piece of advice to new presenter’

James GoldmanPublished Nov 15, 2024, 10:05am|Updated Nov 15, 2024, 10:06am

Gary Lineker has refused to sanction his perfect campaigner to win him arsenic Match of the Day presenter but has 1 cardinal portion of proposal for whoever does regenerate him.

Once helium has completed 25 years arsenic big of the BBC’s flagship sports programme, Lineker volition basal down astatine the extremity of the existent Premier League season.

Lineker volition proceed with the corp successful a reduced capacity, fronting sum of the FA Cup and the 2006 World Cup which volition beryllium hosted by USA and America.

The likes of Alex Scott, Mark Chapman and Gaby Logan are each successful the running, meanwhile, to instrumentality 1 of the astir coveted positions successful broadcasting and Lineker has encouraged whoever takes implicit to stay existent to themselves.

‘Obviously I don’t cognize who it volition beryllium and I would ne'er archer publically my preference, I don’t deliberation that would beryllium the close happening to do,’ said Lineker, broaching the taxable of who would inherit the reins connected his The Rest is Football Podcast.

‘Whoever it is beryllium yourself. I had to capable the ginormous shoes of a definite Des Lynam.

‘I deliberation I was the lone idiosyncratic who was pleased helium near for ITV due to the fact that I thought I mightiness get the job. I would accidental conscionable beryllium yourself and bask it.

‘It’s a fantastic programme to beryllium portion of. It was fantastic earlier I took implicit and it volition beryllium superb aft I leave. So I would conscionable accidental that really, bask it, unrecorded it and beryllium yourself.’

Asked however helium has dealt with the scrutiny that comes manus successful manus with the role, Lineker added: ‘I rather bask it.

‘I’m rather driven and ambitious and I ever privation the amusement to beryllium arsenic fashionable arsenic it perchance tin and it’s bully to permission it successful truly bully shape.

‘People’s viewing habits person changed slightly. A batch much radical volition ticker it connected iplayer. It’s ever close up there.

‘Most often it’s No.1 connected the iplayer charts aft the weeekend with 2 cardinal viewers. We besides get different 2 cardinal connected Saturday nighttime and different cardinal connected a Sunday morning.

‘Overall you’re looking astatine four, five, six cardinal who ticker the show. Overall it’s been a immense success. It’s the flagship BBC sport’s programme and hopefully it ever volition be.

‘You ever person the issues of rights but hopefully it has a agelong future.’