- Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer questioned Erik ten Hag on Saturday about his future
- They believe that despite criticism of their interrogation, they did not cross the line
- Kane first, Saka second… which player in Gareth Southgate’s squad has the third most goals for England? Listen to the It all starts! Podcast
Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer have defended themselves after receiving criticism for their interview with Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag after Saturday’s FA Cup final.
United defied the odds to beat Manchester City 2-1 at Wembley, potentially saving Ten Hag’s job after it was reported on Friday that he would be sacked after the match.
Ten Hag’s future was the main talking point ahead of Saturday’s match, with Shearer hinting that the Dutchman could have few complaints if he is sacked after leading United to their worst ever Premier League finish.
This led to a tense post-match interview on Saturday, with Lineker and Shearer criticizing Ten Hag over his future and his team’s performances this season, but the former England strikers believe they did not cross the line with their questions.
“People were somewhat offended by our questioning and your response to Erik ten Hag,” Lineker told Shearer. The rest is football podcast.
Gary Lineker quizzed Erik ten Hag about his future in the immediate aftermath of Man United’s FA Cup win
Alan Shearer also criticized United’s performance this season, infuriating Ten Hag
Lineker and Shearer have defended themselves after criticism and insisted they did not overstep the mark
‘He came over and didn’t seem very happy from the start. I think he also had a crush on Roy Keane, so he clearly had something on his mind when he came over.
“I asked the question, ‘Do you think you have been treated unfairly by experts, and even by us?’ Of course it is our job to be critical every now and then, we have to say what we think. And then he replied, ‘sure,’ and then you challenged him, didn’t you?’
Shearer replied, “Yes. He deserves a comeback because he has been criticized at times, and I think that is justified because his team is miles wrong. They have been poor.
‘They have had a disastrous season in the league. I don’t think any Man Utd fan would argue that. To finish eighth, to finish with the number of goals they’ve conceded and the number of shots conceded, it’s shameful.
“So because of all these things we had to criticize them this season. If we didn’t do that, we wouldn’t be doing our job. But he has a right to deal with people he believes are dishonest, but I felt I was well within my rights. [to say what I said].’
Ten Hag refused to back down under the control of Lineker and Shearer, telling them to be ‘calmer’ when criticizing his players.
“Here in England you are very good at pushing players and managers very high, and then you knock them down when they have one or two bad performances,” he said. “I think you should calm down.”
Ten Hag could still be sacked despite leading United to their second trophy in as many seasons
Co-owners INEOS – led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe (left) are expected to make a decision on the future of Ten Hag this week
The interview ended with Lineker asking Ten Hag if he had played his last game for United, which seemed to cause further irritation, before Lineker added with a smile: “We hope to see you next season!”
The answer to Lineker’s question remains unclear with United’s hierarchy currently conducting an end-of-season review before making a decision on whether to stay with Ten Hag.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe ignored a reporter’s question when asked if he was going to sack Ten Hag as he left Wembley on Saturday.
It is reported that Ten Hag still has the support of a number of key figures at the club, with co-owners INEOS aware that sacking him would be an unpopular move among the fanbase after he won a second trophy in as many had delivered seasons at Wembley. .