‘Good luck changing Gary Lineker on Match of the Day – the BBC have gotten an enormous drawback’

Did he jump or was he pushed?

Only those at the heart of Gary Lineker‘s departure from Match of the Day will know the answer to this question. But one thing we do know is that Lineker’s exit from its flagship show leaves the BBC with yet another huge problem to fix.

It’s been suggested Lineker was ‘open’ to discussing a new contract. That he would have considered remaining in one of the most high-profile jobs in television.

Yet it has also been reported that new BBC Director of Sport Alex Kay-Jeslki wanted Lineker gone. That he wanted to take MOTD in a new direction.

At the time of the announcement of his appointment in April, Kay-Jelski said: “I am so excited to be joining BBC Sport, and to have the chance to work with so many incredible people.

“Like most people, so many of my sporting memories have been lived with the BBC there to guide me through, and having the chance to shape what that should look like in the coming years is a brilliant challenge.”

Being a football fan, it’s safe to assume Lineker was one of those people who ‘guided’ Kay-Jelski through football’s agonies and ecstasies every Saturday night – and sometimes Sundays and Wednesdays too. And if Kay-Jelski wanted a ‘challenge’, he’s certainly got one now.

The runners and riders are queuing up to fill the seat Lineker will leave behind. Candidates include Mark Chapman, Gabby Logan and Alex Scott. But love him, or loathe him for his apparent smugness, the fact remains that Lineker will take some replacing.

And the decision has to be right. Because losing or axing Lineker comes in the wake of several scandals to have engulfed the corporation.

Lineker’s former colleague Jermaine Jenas was sacked in August following allegations about his conduct in the workplace. It’s understood Kay-Jelski fired off a terse email to staff stating Jenas would ‘never work for the BBC again’.

In September, the BBC apologised to Amanda Abbington and upheld some of her complaints against her partner on Strictly Come Dancing. While in the same month, leading BBC news presenter Hugh Edwards was given a suspended prison sentence, after admitting making indecent images of children.

Lineker has been no stranger to controversy himself, and found himself suspended as a result of some outspoken views he posted on social media. Back then, most of his MOTD colleagues rallied round him in his hour of need, and went on strike.

It was a measure of Lineker’s enduring popularity, and the respect he commanded amongst his peers. He has lived in our living rooms for 25 years, having honed his craft underneath some broadcasting giants to begin with, before going on to establish himself as the highest-paid and most recognisable presenter the BBC had.

His knowledge of the game, coupled with a sharp sense of humour, made him the ideal fit for the role he made his own. An entire generation of people have never known MOTD without Lineker hosting it.

But now his shoes must be filled. And good luck to whoever is given the chance, because the BBC need some good headlines for a change.

And following in the footsteps of arguably the best broadcaster of his generation will be a path littered with pitfalls and potholes. It must be tempting to keep the MOTD format as it is. But Lineker was Lineker, a kind of one off.

One idea could be to entice current players onto the show instead of former ones. Allowing them to offer insight from a more modern perspective. Or go one step further and ask if referees could be involved.

But good luck with that too.