Gary Lineker has hit back at critics who suggested he was one of the reasons Gareth Southgate stood down as England manager.
Southgate called it quits on his eight-year reign as Three Lions boss earlier this week, issuing an emotional statement where he labelled his time as England manager an 'honour'.
But the final whistle had barely left referee Francois Letexier's mouth during Sunday's final against Spain when questions about Southgate's future were being posed.
However, despite the disapproval levelled at the manager by Lineker and co., the BBC presenter has insisted the criticism was fair and didn't impact Southgate's decision to leave.
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Speaking after Southgate's exit on The Rest Is Football podcast, Lineker said: "We [pundits] were critical at times, because you can’t say when a team is not playing very well, that they played well.
"If they played awfully, you say they played awfully, and they did in the early part of the tournament. There’s no question about that. But then to try and make it that that’s the reason, that criticism is the reason he’s gone. It’s not. It’s not that at all.
“We speak to the players and they understand where it’s coming from.”
Lineker hinted earlier in the week his preferred course of action after Euro 2024 would be a managerial change for England, saying: "Maybe it’s time for someone else with a more modern, attacking style of football. Because I think the game’s gone away from being successful if you’re really defensive.”
Yet Lineker insists claims he influenced Southgate's departure are false and represent nothing more than attempts by journalists to 'put a wedge between us and players and management.'
The ex-Tottenham Hotspur and Barcelona ace said he'd been asked by reporters: "Do you think it’s [Southgate's exit] is because of what you said on the Rest Is Football at the start of the tournament?”
Before rebutting the suggestion by saying: "They [journalists] constantly try to put a wedge between us and players and management. Just the silliness of it.”
Fellow BBC pundit Micah Richards agreed, commenting: "As a person, as a man, where he’s taken England, he’s done an amazing job. I just feel for him and for everyone moving forward, it was definitely the right decision.”
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Attention for the FA will now switch to hiring Southgate's successor, with Graham Potter tipped as an early candidate for the job.
It's reported the FA are favouring an English manager, as they believe it will give them the best possible chance of continuing the culture Southgate has built during his eight-year stint.
There has also been talk of a potential interim boss being brought in, which would grant the FA bigwigs more time to appoint a permanent successor.
