Gary Lineker

[cayambe]

Arrivederci.

[_Stefan_Kuntz]

When the boss of the BBC made sure that Boris Johnson got an 800 grand loan it is obvious where the loyalties of the BBC are.

[postmanpete]

Doubt he would be bothered as Sky or Bein would snap him up.

[crushalime]

Just heard Wright and Shearer are refusing to present Match of The Day till he is re-instated.

I don't agree with what Lineker said at all but freedom of speech and all that.

When you start comparing your employer to the Nazis on social media though you are on dangerous ground whoever you are.

He's old enough to know that dropping a bombshell such as that would cause major ripples, he can't just shrug his shoulders and say 'what did I do'.

With all their political correctness of late, it is hard for me to say it but the BBC were right to sack, drop him or whatever they have done.

[mullen103]

Don’t agree with Lineker on a lot but he should be entitled to his opinion - we aren’t North Korea or are we?

You’re going to end up with no one, un opinionated idiots or robots on the BBC soon. Let them have opinions ffs even if you don’t agree
With them.

[griff]

Linekar said:
There is no huge influx. We take far fewer refugees than other major European countries. This is just an immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s, and I’m out of order?

He was talking about the language use up to 9 years before the outbreak of WW2. It wasn’t about any actions they took later. How was he wrong?

[crushalime]

I remember way back when a fresh faced Lineker, desperate for a new career in television was doing the Saturday final score show on the BBC and the link had broke or something and Lineker nervously read out the football scores, didn't do too bad a job under the circumstances.

Not sure that social media was around at the time but even even if it was would Lineker have been so ballsy way back then with his comments?

I think that we all know the answer to that one, so it does make him a bit of a gobshi te.

[howoldboy]

I remember way back when a fresh faced Lineker, desperate for a new career in television was doing the Saturday final score show on the BBC and the link had broke or something and Lineker nervously read out the football scores, didn't do too bad a job under the circumstances.

Not sure that social media was around at the time but even even if it was would Lineker have been so ballsy way back then with his comments?

I think that we all know the answer to that one, so it does make him a bit of a gobshi te.

To repeat what Griff said above...

All Gary Lineker said was "There is no huge influx. We take far fewer refugees than other major European countries. This is just an immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s."

All factually correct. Seems fairly insipid. No mention of Nazis. No mention of the BBC.

So can someone please explain what it is about freedom of speech that makes the Conservatives (and their BBC puppets) so prickly?

[Chauncey]

There is only freedom in speech as long as you toe the line and don't cause ripples,having an opinion is frowned upon

I'm not sure about Lineker,he was stupid to comment at all on such a touchy subject especially as he works for the BBC on a big salary but the punishment is far to high for the crime, personally I would have told him to come back at the beginning of April if he wanted to keep his job,at the hospital where I worked we was always reminded of the dangers of social media and the consequences of what you wrote

[griff]

Match of the Day is going out today without pundits and most regular commentators. For me no punditry is perfect, it’s why I can never watch MOTD live. But what if folk decide they prefer it that way?

I should add that the BBC are now no more that the broadcasting arm of the Conservative Party.