Alan Shearer, a renowned figure in the world of football, has recently shared his thoughts on the new era of BBC's iconic football highlights show, Match of the Day (MOTD), following Gary Lineker's sudden departure.
Gary Lineker, who had been hosting MOTD for 26 years, left abruptly in May. His exit came shortly after he apologized for unintentionally sharing a pro-Palestine social media post featuring an image of a rat. This marked the end to his long-standing tenure as host and ushered in a new phase for MOTD. Lineker has been succeeded by Mark Chapman, Kelly Cates and Gabby Logan - three seasoned presenters who will rotate hosting duties. Chapman and Cates have already hosted their first show this season while Logan is scheduled to take centre-stage for the third Premier League matchweek.
Shearer, who has been a regular pundit on MOTD since 2009 and co-presented both episodes this season so far, expressed optimism about this transition. He downplayed any potential negative impact that might be associated with Lineker’s absence.
Alan Shearer, BBC footbal pundit, said:
“ I guess it's like a footballer leaving a football club. The programme is always going to be bigger than any individual. But is it different? Well the programme's not different, obviously the personnel have changed but the feedback has been really positive. Hopefully that will continue.
“ I think the best thing to come out of it is that it’s Match of the Day - it hasn’t changed. The theme tune is still the same. It still works exactly the same. There's nothing major that’s happened and I guess that's what everyone needed and wanted.”
Maintaining professional ties
Despite Lineker’s departure from MOTD, Shearer maintains both professional and personal ties with him. They continue to collaborate regularly on The Rest Is Football podcast where they discuss various aspects related to football including game analysis and player performances.
Alan Shearer added:
“I see Gary, whether that's on Zoom or whether it's (in person) two or three times a week because of the podcast. I was with him last week so the relationship won't change with him. It's just the Saturdays will change on Match of the Day.”
Shearer was swift to emphasize the high level of competence that Lineker’s successors bring to the table. Mark Chapman, at 51 years old, is a seasoned broadcaster with over 25 years of experience and is no stranger to presenting BBC’s Match Of The Day 2. Kelly Cates, who is 49 and the daughter of Liverpool icon Kenny Dalglish, has made her mark as a prominent figure in Sky Sports’ Premier League coverage and also hosts BBC Radio 5 Live’s Tuesday night sports slot.
Gabby Logan, aged 52 and a former gymnast turned presenter, was one of the pioneering female sports anchors in terrestrial television. She has an impressive portfolio that includes covering major sporting events such as Olympic Games, World Cup and Commonwealth Games for BBC. Furthermore, she has stepped into Lineker's shoes on many occasions by presenting Match Of The Day.
