Gary Lineker and Micah Richards have both criticised reports that their criticism during the European Championship influenced Gareth Southgate’s decision to step down as England manager.
The BBC presenter and analyst were both among those who criticised England’s early performances in the competition, which were generally regarded as sub-standard.
They were not the only ones to criticise the Three Lions’ performance, although Lineker’s description of their group stage performance as ‘s***’ did make headlines.
However, Lineker denied he specifically called England ‘s***’ and on Monday’s episode of The Rest Is Football podcast he admitted after the tournament that it was time for ‘someone else’ to step in.
In the latest episode, the pair agreed that Southgate’s departure was “absolutely the right decision” after the former boss announced his departure on Tuesday.
Gary Lineker denies his criticism of England during Euro 2024 influenced Gareth Southgate’s departure
Lineker said of his reporting of the team: ‘We’ve been fair to England, no doubt about that. But I think… it’s time for a change. Probably for Gareth’s sake too, because it must be such a tough job.’
He also revealed that he was later asked whether Southgate’s departure could have anything to do with what he said at the start of the tournament, but he dismissed those suggestions.
“Honestly. They’re constantly trying to drive a wedge between us, the players and the management. Just the stupidity of it,” he said.
Lineker added: ‘We were critical at times because if a team doesn’t play well you can’t say they played well.
“If they played terribly, you say they played terribly, and they did that at the beginning of the tournament. There’s no doubt about that. But then you try to say that’s the reason, that criticism is the reason he’s gone. That’s not it. That’s not it at all.
“We speak to the players and they completely understand where it comes from.”
Richards then suggested that the questions were “completely unfair”, saying: “As a person, as a man, he’s done a great job for England. “I just feel for him and for everyone going forward, it was absolutely the right decision.”