Gary Lineker – CaughtOffside

Video: Palace chairman offers update on potential Man United pursuit of Dougie Freedman

Jason Pettigrove — Sat, 18 Nov 2023 10:27:36 +0000

Manchester United’s need for a sporting director is acute, with Crystal Palace’s Dougie Freedman one of a few names being thrown into the hat for the job.

The Telegraph (subscription required) linked Freedman amongst a handful of candidates that also included legendary player, Paolo Maldini.

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Fabrizio Romano, speaking to CaughtOffside for his Daily Briefing column, suggested that Paul Mitchell was actually the favourite, and Palace chairman, Steve Parish, speaking on the Rest is Football podcast, appeared to rule Freedman out of the running.

‘”You would have to get into the minds of those people (Manchester United decision makers) wouldn’t you,” he said.

“I certainly don’t think there’s been any conversations. It’s flattering for the club.”

Pictures from Rest is Football

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Video: Shearer would take £65m-rated Arsenal hit-man at Newcastle

Jason Pettigrove — Sat, 28 Oct 2023 11:33:51 +0000

Former Newcastle and England captain, Alan Shearer, knows a thing or two about what it takes to be a success as a striker at St. James’ Park.

Though Alexander Isak has hit the ground running since his signing and Callum Wilson still knows where the goal is, Shearer is looking to Arsenal’s £65m-rated (transfermarkt) Gabriel Jesus as a player he would apparently bring to the north east.

“You’d have him at Newcastle wouldn’t you, Al?” Gary Lineker asked Shearer on the The Rest Is Football podcast.

“I don’t think he’s elite, he’s not elite, but he’ll always get you goals when he’s fit and injuries have been a problem. But, yeah, I wouldn’t take anything back that you two guys have said,” Shearer added.

It’s clearly just a personal opinion as it’s highly unlikely Mikel Arteta and the Gunners board would entertain a transfer for the Brazilian despite his recent injury record.

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Gary Lineker sends savage message to Burnley after Brentford defeat

Andrew Walker — Sun, 22 Oct 2023 13:46:03 +0000

Brentford heaped the pressure on Vincent Kompany during Saturday afternoon’s Premier League Game Week 9.

Not only did the Clarets come into this weekend’s match-up at the Community Stadium in the league’s relegation zone, but after suffering another crushing 3-0 defeat, Kompany’s side now face a huge challenge to climb their way back to safety.

Gary Lineker expresses surprise at Gareth Southgate’s England decisions

Jason Pettigrove — Tue, 10 Oct 2023 10:22:37 +0000

England take on Australia in a friendly this Friday and then host Italy in a Euro2024 qualifier next Tuesday, with Gareth Southgate coming under fire from all angles for his squad selection.

To date, Southgate has managed to dodge a media hounding for the most part, something that saw more than one of his predecessors out of a job.

His eloquence and honesty when answering any and all questions, as well as picking players on form rather than reputation, appeared to have won him a legion of supporters within media circles but that support appears to be dwindling now.

Gary Lineker is just the latest to have an opinion on Southgate’s strange squad selection ahead of the two games.

Gary Lineker

“Whoever’s in the squad, someone has to be left out. There will always be players that certain people, we all have a view on who should be in, who should be out, so it’s a thankless task in many ways,” he said on The Rest is Football Podcast.

“But there are some things that do surprise you a little bit. Raheem Sterling for example has been in good form early in the season, he’s been particularly good in the last couple of games.

“He’s always been brilliant for Gareth Southgate and an important player for Gareth Southgate which [his exclusion from the squad] is surprising. Of course, things do change but he’s stuck by other players who have had more problems at club level.

“Harry Maguire and certainly Kalvin Phillips who’s still in the squad, he’s not getting a kick generally [at Manchester City]. Ward-Prowse is left out as well, so I suppose there’s always going to be someone isn’t there?”

Lineker has become an acquired taste for many but he does have a point.

There can be no reasonable explanation why Sterling and Ward-Prowse have been left on the sidelines in favour of players that are injured or not playing for their club side.

It smacks of a manager beginning to revert to type when it comes to the Three Lions.

As Euro2024 appears over the horizon, Southgate has got to get everything spot on if he finally wants to break a hoodoo that has weighed every England manager down since 1966.

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Shearer blasts Liverpool over Caicedo embarrassment

Jason Pettigrove — Sat, 12 Aug 2023 21:31:27 +0000

For months now, Moises Caicedo has been a target for Chelsea Football Club, but their dilly-dallying over price seemingly let in Liverpool at the 11th hour to hijack the deal.

A British record fee was accepted by Brighton and Hove Albion for their player, and all that remained was for the 21-year-old to complete a medical and sign on the dotted line.

Landing the Ecuadorian in any event, but particularly in that manner, would’ve been a real statement of intent from the Reds.

However, they clearly didn’t countenance being told in no uncertain terms by the player himself that he had no intention of joining them, and was only interested in playing for Chelsea.

That drew a scathing response from former England striker turned broadcaster, Alan Shearer.

“It’s pretty embarrassing for Liverpool if that is the case. They’ve gone we will agree a deal for £111m, and then all of a sudden it’s ‘no thanks, I don’t fancy coming to you, I’m going to London.’,” he said on The Rest is Football Podcast, with Gary Lineker and Micah Richards.

“That is not a good look for Liverpool.”

It certainly doesn’t bode well for the Reds when they go out on a limb like that and end up with egg on their faces.

Surely someone at the club could’ve done their due diligence properly to ascertain whether there was a genuine possibility of the player considering the move.

All they’ve done now is made themselves a laughing stock and what makes it worse… Chelsea also appear likely to beat them to the signing of Romeo Lavia after Liverpool couldn’t secure a deal there either.

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Gary Lineker apologises to Premier League club as he names Harry Kane replacement at Tottenham

Jason Pettigrove — Sat, 12 Aug 2023 20:24:12 +0000

He once wore the Tottenham shirt himself and knows where the goal is, so Gary Lineker is fairly well qualified to understand the type of player that could successfully replace Harry Kane.

On Saturday night, the former Spurs talisman made his debut for Bayern Munich, bringing to an end one of the transfer sagas of the summer.

As tough to take as Kane’s decision may be for Tottenham’s staff and supporters, it does mean that the north Londoners can move on and not have to consistently be fielding questions about the England striker.

Ange Postecoglou and Daniel Levy will quickly have to work out who should replace Kane, however, and with three weeks left of the current window, there’s plenty of time to bring someone in.

Lineker, never backwards in coming forwards with an opinion, has tweeted that Brighton and Hove Albion’s Evan Ferguson should be the replacement.

Evan Ferguson scores in Fergie time. He’s a born goalscorer. If I was in charge of recruitment at @SpursOfficial I’d take a punt on him as Kane’s replacement. Apologies to @OfficialBHAFC fans.

— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) August 12, 2023

In so doing, he also apologised to the Seagulls, though that’s unlikely to spare him from a tongue lashing from Brighton fans who’ve already seen Alexis Mac Allister depart, and Moises Caicedo on the verge of moving to Chelsea for a British record fee.

Ferguson would be a reasonable enough ‘like-for-like’ swap, and indeed, isn’t the worst shout in the world from Lineker, but there’ll surely be plenty of other names for Tottenham to consider in the coming days.

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Gary Lineker tips 24-year-old Liverpool star to have ‘massive season’

Andrew Walker — Sat, 05 Aug 2023 09:24:54 +0000

Gary Lineker has tipped Darwin Nunez to have a ‘massive season’ for Liverpool.

Nunez, 24, hit headlines after Liverpool broke their club transfer record and signed him in a deal worth £85 million from Benfica last summer (Sky Sports).

However, despite arriving in the Premier League with huge expectations, as well as a sky-high price tag, the Uruguay international endured a tough first season.

Gary Lineker hails ‘underrated’ 24-year-old Man United star

Andrew Walker — Sat, 05 Aug 2023 08:56:09 +0000

Gary Lineker believes Mason Mount will be a great addition to Manchester United.

After failing to extend his contract at Chelsea, Mount, 24, emerged as a transfer target for long-time admirer Erik Ten Hag this summer.

Beating off competition in the form of Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp for the England international’s signature, the Red Devils made Mount their first summer signing after agreeing a deal worth £55 million with Chelsea (Sky Sports).

Tottenham legend tells Harry Kane it’s time to leave the club

Jason Pettigrove — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 20:34:47 +0000

Though he’s still kept his own counsel even at this very late stage, Harry Kane has now been told to leave Tottenham Hotspur by a former legend.

It’s believed that Bayern Munich have tabled one final bid for the player and require a yes or no answer by Friday at the latest.

If Daniel Levy hasn’t responded to that offer in time – for example because he wants some more time to consider it – it’s not clear if the Bavarians will back away from the deal entirely or will sit tight for a few more days.

For Kane to move in any event at this point, it will require his chairman’s blessing, because if Levy refuses to play ball, the striker will simply walk away for nothing in 12 month’s time.

According to Gary Lineker, that’s not even something Kane should be considering because he wants the centre-forward to walk away now.

“The time is right for him, and the right club has come in for him. Munich is a lovely city and Bayern are one of the great clubs in world football,” he told The Sun.

“[…] The game is about winning team honours rather than individual records and that is what Harry needs. I don’t see Spurs finishing even close to the top four next season.

“And if Harry doesn’t win trophies with Bayern then he really must be a jinx.”

For one of Tottenham’s proudest son’s to come out publicly and put his weight behind a move for Kane says much about what Lineker believes the state of the club to be in.

Even accounting for Ange Postecoglou’s arrival and some new faces about the place, Lineker still evidently doesn’t think that Spurs will be able to match Kane’s aspirations.

The whole saga is at a real crossroads now, but could be coming to a conclusion one way or the other soon.

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Gary Lineker courting controversy again with message to FIFA

Jason Pettigrove — Wed, 07 Jun 2023 15:45:57 +0000

It’s as if Gary Lineker can’t seem to help himself, and the former footballer turned broadcaster’s latest Twitter interaction might well land him in even more trouble.

Clearly an exponent of free speech, there is the school of thought that Lineker, nevertheless, should stick to commenting what he’s paid to do and nothing else.

Of course, he’s likely to argue once again that his personal social media accounts are nothing to do with his employment at the BBC or elsewhere, though there’s a cogent argument that he is bringing them into disrepute purely by voicing what is obviously a controversial opinion.

On this occasion, he’s taken a swipe at the game’s governing body, FIFA.

Come on @FIFAcom, be better. https://t.co/F0KR3Mrwz8

— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) June 7, 2023

It was noted by Twitter user, @DaveyLockwood that campaigners had won a case against FIFA after they had, apparently incorrectly, marketed the Qatar World Cup as ‘carbon neutral.’

Lineker couldn’t resist passing comment, and his short and sweet ‘Come on FIFA, be better’ will have surely got backs up at the organisation.

Whether the BBC decide to get involved again or prefer to retain an orderly distance after the furore that erupted last time regarding language used concerning refugees, will only be seen over the coming hours and days.

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