Former England football stars, Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer, have recently come forward to defend their rigorous questioning of Erik ten Hag during the BBC coverage of Manchester United’s FA Cup victory. Their approach attracted backlash from United fans on social media, who expressed concerns about the timing and nature of the interview, which took place immediately after Ten Hag’s team lifted the trophy.
In their podcast, Shearer explained that he felt entirely justified in scrutinizing United’s disappointing eighth-placed finish in the Premier League, describing it as “embarrassing.” He defended his approach by stating, “He’s entitled to have the hump with people who he feels are being unfair, but I felt I was well within my rights [to say what I said].”
At the same time, Lineker acknowledged the controversy surrounding their questioning, stating, “People took a bit of umbrage to our questioning and your answer to Erik ten Hag.” He elaborated, “Obviously, it’s our job to be critical on occasion, we have to say what we think. And then he replied saying ‘definitely’, and then you challenged him didn’t you?”
Despite facing criticism, many viewers praised the pair’s line of questioning, with Shearer emphasizing the importance of holding the team accountable for their performance. He asserted, “For all of those things we’ve had to criticise them this season. If we didn’t we wouldn’t be doing our job.”
During the interview, Shearer confronted Ten Hag about the team’s inconsistent performances, stating, “You have a team out there who have shown a great attitude, great ability, who have won every single tackle. That hasn’t always been the case, though, has it?” He also addressed the fact that United would not have finished in eighth place if they consistently played at the level seen in their victory over Manchester City.
Ten Hag acknowledged the critique, remarking on the team’s disappointing season and the challenges they faced due to injuries. He expressed, “I don’t know [if this was my last game] but the only thing I am doing is preparing my team, developing my team, progressing my players because for me this is a project.”
In response to the feedback from fans and the media, Lineker and Shearer stood by their approach, emphasizing the importance of honest and critical analysis. Despite the controversy, they remained committed to their duty as pundits to hold teams and managers accountable for their performances.
The intense interview and the subsequent discussion on their podcast have brought attention to the complex relationship between football managers, players, and the media. It has sparked a wider debate on the role and responsibility of pundits and the media in providing objective and fair analysis of football performances.
As the football season progresses, it will be interesting to see how this incident influences the way in which the media approaches the coverage and analysis of football matches and the performances of the teams and their managers.