Gary Lineker

[1964white]

Gary Lineker is to step back from presenting Match of the Day until an agreement is reached on his social media use, the BBC has said.

It follows an impartiality row over comments he made criticising the government's new asylum policy.

The BBC said it considered Lineker's "recent social media activity to be a breach of our guidelines".

It added he should "keep well away from taking sides on party political issues or political controversies"The BBC said it had been in "extensive discussions with Gary and team in recent days" and "has decided that he will step back from presenting Match of the Day until we've got an agreed and clear position on his use of social media".

It continued: "When it comes to leading our football and sports coverage, Gary is second to none.

"We have never said that Gary should be an opinion free zone, or that he can't have a view on issues that matter to him, but we have said that he should keep well away from taking sides on party political issues or political controversies."

Fellow pundit Ian Wright said he will not appear in "solidarity", tweeting: "Everybody knows what Match of the Day means to me, but I've told the BBC I won't be doing it tomorrow. Solidarity."

[Barlow Boy]

It’ll be interesting to see what Shearer et al do now.

[mentalcase]

Overpaid outspoken privileged arrogant smug tosser, lets have a woman on motd instead
bbc are so corrupt anyway , feck em, and they hate us and have wrote "The Don" out of their history, ban the licence fee.

Ahh, I feel better already.

[Tyzy]

I couldn't care less either way,but it has been blown out of all proportion.Watching the 6 pm news it's headlines,really !!!

[mentalcase]

[Jaydog]

Big eared man says something controversial.
Yawn

[Irish Ian]

Funny when he trotted out the govt line over Qatar noone batted an eyelid.

[Barlow Boy]

It’ll be interesting to see what Shearer et al do now.

That didn’t last long, Shearer also backs out.

[Cjay]

BBC going to back down?

Or will they just do what they already planned on doing and promote Jermaine Jenas?

[Cjay]

That didn’t last long, Shearer also backs out.

And Ian Wright

[mentalcase]

Step forward the next clueless arse licker, no not weasel, Jermaine Jenarse.

[GreennWhite]

Mountain out of a mole hill, springs to mind. Its ridiculous these days what you can or cannot say before some idiot finds its offensive.

[Overman]

Step forward the next clueless arse licker, no not weasel, Jermaine Jenarse.

That made me laugh!

[whiteswan]

Wouldn't MOTD be just great without all these know it alls? Just play the games, no yak yak yak in between matches. The lot of them bore me to tears....and I reckon the job is a poison chalice now 'cos anyone would be criticized for taking the opposite stance to Lineker and his bunch of cronies.

[Jaydog]

Mountain out of a mole hill, springs to mind. Its ridiculous these days what you can or cannot say before some idiot finds its offensive.

He was likening the current refusing refugees crisis to the Nazis.
In some ways he’s not far off. We really haven’t progressed much tbh

[Jaydog]

Wouldn't MOTD be just great without all these know it alls? Just play the games, no yak yak yak in between matches. The lot of them bore me to tears...

Ear Ear

[Boo Radley]

Note to all public service employees - keep your mouth shut about Government policies or the Government will have you removed from your job.

What does that remind of............ oh yeah, Germany in the 1930's.

[Irish Ian]

I like MOTD and like the presentation.


I never understood this fascination with hating ex players who join the media after their playing careers end. It seems to be the default position of the average fan in England.

Just sayin.

[White Riot]

Wouldn't MOTD be just great without all these know it alls? Just play the games, no yak yak yak in between matches. The lot of them bore me to tears....and I reckon the job is a poison chalice now 'cos anyone would be criticized for taking the opposite stance to Lineker and his bunch of cronies.

It would Swannie

I often watch American match streams and really enjoy the expert analysis from Tim Howard.

He's a nice polite, and humble person.

Can't stand Lineker and all those blabber mouth half wits like Rio Ferdinand, Shearer and co.

[Jaydog]

I like MOTD and like the presentation.


I never understood this fascination with hating ex players who join the media after their playing careers end. It seems to be the default position of the average fan in England.

Just sayin.

Not really Ian. I dislike Lineker & Shearer because their opinion & insight is completely uninteresting to me. Plus they come across as incredibly arrogant.
Plenty of ex players I like including Danny Murphy & especially Lee Dixon for the polar opposite reason