Latest news with #TheRestisFootball
Metro
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Gary Lineker agrees deal with new broadcaster after controversial BBC exit
Former Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker has agreed a deal with a new broadcaster after his controversial exit from the BBC last month. Lineker was set to cover the 2025-26 FA Cup and 2026 World Cup for the BBC but he left early over his use of an alleged anti-Semitic rat emoji. He shared a social media post about Zionism that included an emoji of a rat – with images of the rodent historically used as an anti-Semitic insult. Lineker insisted he did not see the rat emoji when he shared the post and said he 'would never consciously repost anything anti-Semitic'. The former footballer, who played for the likes of Leicester City, Everton, Barcelona and Tottenham, apologised for any offence he may've caused. 'I recognise the error and upset that I caused, and reiterate how sorry I am,' Lineker, who has been a vocal critic of Israel's Government, said. 'Stepping back now feels like the responsible course of action.' After leaving the BBC, Lineker has now moved his popular The Rest is Football podcast to DAZN. Lineker is a co-founder of Goalhanger Podcasts, which produces a number of shows including The Rest is Football , which he presents himself along with Alan Shearer and Micah Richards. Across 13 shows, Goalhanger Podcasts collectively receives over 40 million downloads per month, with The Rest Is Politics also notably successful. Gary Lineker's first venture on Match of the Day was as an analyst. Lineker stepped up to become the main presenter in 1999, replacing Des Lynam. Lineker has remained the host of the show ever since, with his 25-year reign making him the longest presenter in Match of the Day's history. Lineker's time wasn't without controversy: in March 2023 he stepped back from presenting following his criticism of the UK Government's immigration policy. His colleagues walked out in solidarity. Tony Pastor, the co-founder of Lineker's Goalhanger podcast empire, said: 'The Rest Is Football isn't just being listened to – it's being watched, shared, and talked about across Spotify, YouTube, TikTok, X, and Instagram. 'Partnering with DAZN to bring official match clips into the mix is the natural next step – adding energy, context, and taking the conversation to the next level. 'With over six million episode views and listens each month, and huge engagement across social, it's already the UK's most popular sports podcast. 'As the way fans experience football evolves, The Rest Is Football is right at the heart of it.' DAZN has the broadcast rights for this summer's Club World Cup, with all 63 matches to be shown globally for free. More Trending Pete Oliver, CEO of Growth Markets at DAZN, added: 'The Rest Is Football is essential viewing and listening for fans who want insight, entertainment, and personality. 'This partnership is a brilliant way to bring the Fifa Club World Cup even closer to that audience. 'It's about connecting global football with the voices fans trust and love, and showing the tournament in a fresh, exciting, and authentically British way. 'As the global broadcast partner of the Fifa Club World Cup and the only place where fans in the UK can watch every game for free, there was no better partner than Goalhanger.' MORE: Completely free streaming service adds 'bingeable' new drama perfect for Pride Month MORE: Call the Midwife rejects claim star was 'disrespected' before shock exit MORE: Gary Lineker finally buries the hatchet with brother Wayne after 17-year feud
Daily Record
a day ago
- Business
- Daily Record
Five unwavering Russell Martin Rangers rules from catching Celtic not the focus to player 'bravery'
The leading candidate for the hotseat has some clear viewpoints he will carry with him to Ibrox It's a massive summer of change for Rangers - and Russell Martin looks to be the man who will be at centre of it. The former Southampton boss has moved ahead of Davide Ancelotti in the race for the Ibrox hot seat following the completion of the takeover by US tycoon Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises. The club's new sporting director Kevin Thelwell revealed earlier this week the search for Philippe Clement's successor was reaching an endgame. And should Martin be the man the Glasgow giants name as manager he has already laid out a clear vision of what he expects from his players, the fans and their new owners. Record Sport takes a look at the enduring principles Martin has taken with him through MK Dons, Swansea and to Southampton in his management career. The style of play It's the rigid rule Martin has become associated with - the possession-based style of play that he will not move from. While it produced eye-catching MK Dons, Swansea and Southampton teams - ultimately leading the Saints to the Premier League - he would not escape criticism. Martin would manage just one win as he rigidly stuck to his attacking philosophy but has made it clear he wouldn't change it at Ibrox. Speaking to Coaches' Voice, he said: "My teams are always going to set out with that vision, that utopia of where you want to get to. "I want them to dominate the ball, and I really don't like it when the opposition have the ball for very long. "So we will start with that, then see where maybe we have to compromise, or flex, or adapt, and then see how close we can get to that dream. "I just want to watch a team that I really enjoy watching, because if I'm going to be in this job – and hopefully I will be for a while – I want to stand on the sidelines and enjoy watching my team. I don't want to stand there feeling sick for 90 minutes. "There is so much to be said for being well organised out of possession and for playing on the counter-attack, but it's not what I enjoy." Transfer philosophy The US consortium has ushered in a new era - and fans will be hoping for some big name signings with Jamie Vardy already linked. And while Martin may have targets in mind - he believes there is something more valuable. He told Coaches' Voice: "If you haven't got money, you need time – and time is the most valuable commodity in football. "And if you're not going to buy, then you have to build. We wanted to build with as much detail and care as possible, to get to where we wanted to be." Fan 'patience' is key It's going to be a big summer of change at Ibrox - and Martin knows all too well how important it can be to give players time to adapt to his style. Speaking to Gary Lineker on The Rest is Football last month, Martin said: 'I didn't have that at Swansea [pre-season], so we were playing catch up throughout the season - that's why we got better and better. "That time I had at Southampton, being in from day so important. Without that foundation, it would have looked very different. I hope to be back in pre-season, somewhere. 'Context is important. People forget that in football a lot. The culture of the club, what it's about, what it's been used to. I'm not sure there's certain clubs I could go into and ask for patience, where the goalie's standing on the ball for 25 seconds, but they want it put forward quickly, because that's what they've been used to. I'm aware I've probably limited my job options, somewhat. League position doesn't matter It might not be what Rangers fans want to hear as they look to catch Celtic - but for Martin, these things take care of themselves. It won't be his focus should he be unveiled as Philippe Clement's permanent successor, telling Coaches' Voice when reflecting on his time at Swansea: "We were really clear with the players about the expectation of how the team needed to look, and that we would focus everything on that and not league position. "That's the best bit for me: watching the people you work with, and hopefully playing a part in them growing and developing, and continuing to be as brave as they have been. "I know that's not tangible. It's not like I'm saying I want to finish on this many points or score that many goals, but that's not really how my mind works. "Do we want to finish as high up the league as we can? Of course. If we are able to do that and impact the top end of the league and the playoffs, then brilliant. But I don't spend too much time obsessing over that stuff. "If we can improve the players we have, improve how the team looks and functions, and improve the way the fans feel about that team, then I think we're on the right track." Player 'bravery' is essential It takes a brave player to play under Russell Martin, that to the man himself. He will urged the dressing room to take time on the ball - even if it appears "messy" at times. Pressed about "confusing" players with his messages over possession, he told Sky Sports' Monday Night Football:" I always say to them the better they are and the braver they are the less they'll have to do. "So the better they are in the build-up the more we progress up the pitch. Then the job becomes about keeping the team there and locking in and recycling the ball as much as you can. "But what's happened to every club really early on in the process is when you go in so now it's messy and we can see but I said to them, I can take that one because they want the ball."
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
The season incoming Rangers boss Russell Martin was behind only Barcelona and Man City in Europe for possession stats
RANGERS fans will be wondering what to expect under their new manager as Ibrox chiefs close in on the appointment of Philippe Clement's successor. SunSport understands Russell Martin is in the final stages of negotiations over personal terms and is expected to be the next man in the hot-seat. Advertisement 3 Russell Martin is set to be named the new Rangers manager Credit: Getty 3 The Scot is expected to head back up north and back to Ibrox Credit: Getty It's an appointment that will have mixed feelings after the former Gers and Scotland defender was sacked by relegation-stricken Southampton in December. But should he officially land the job then Gers supporters can certainly expect possession-based free-flowing football in Govan next season, at the very least. Martin, 39, has stuck by that style at every club he has been, and it was the reason he became a sought-after young coach in the first place. He was hailed for his approach at MK Dons and Swansea but it came back to bite him in the Premier League this season with the Saints. Advertisement At one stage he even had one of his teams competing with Europe's elite in the possession department. In 2021, Martin's MK Dons had the third-highest average possession share in the whole continent, with Barcelona and Manchester City leading the way. The English side had an average share of 63.82 per cent, compared to Pep Guardiola's men in second place with 63.84 per cent and Barcelona at 65.11 per cent. In early March that year, MK Dons set a British record of scoring a goal against Gillingham to cap a move which comprised of 56 consecutive passes. Advertisement The 39-year-old spoke about his methodology on The Rest is Football podcast last month. He said: "After a year and a bit of working with the players and believe so much in something and you convince them of something. Rangers fans react as 49ers takeover completed "To then go by the way you are not good enough to do this now so you're going to have to change... "My feeling is I have learned a lot. Will I do things differently? No in terms of build up and trying to dominate the ball. Advertisement "I changed formation too much but the concept doesn't change. "You recognise where the space is, spare man and find him, and we will take territory as quick as we can. "Sometimes it will take 20 passes sometimes one, but you need to feel it, live it and do it together and work out. "But the problem was we weren't winning, so rather than being really consistent with the shape, and this is how we defend. Advertisement "I was overthinking a bit and going we need to change shape for this game because of this." 3 Martin revealed his style of play received plaudits from Manchester City boss Guardiola and his players. He added: "There were brilliant bits and played City away. Advertisement "It looked great at times, we broke through City's press a lot. "Pep Guardiola was amazingly complimentary and their players were surprised by the level of capability of the players, the way we played through them. "But we had five defenders, we had two full backs playing wing back and we couldn't finish it off so the balance was a bit skewed that's what I've learned." He also enjoyed a 25-game unbeaten run in the English Championship with Southampton. Advertisement A record-breaking number of passes was set by Southampton under Martin in their opening game against Sheffield Wednesday, with 931 successful passes and 477 in the first half. Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Incoming Rangers manager Russell Martin on his ‘extreme' philosophy and harsh lessons he learned facing Prem's big guns
RUSSELL MARTIN says if anything his philosophy has got MORE extreme after the trauma of being sacked amid Southampton's Premier League relegation campaign. The former Ibrox central defender has emerged as the clear frontrunner to replace Philippe Clement as the next permanent manager of Rangers. Advertisement 3 Southampton manager Russell Martin Credit: Getty 3 Russell Martin after a demolition job for Rangers at Celtic Park Credit: Kenny Ramsay - The Sun Glasgow Things unravelled badly for newly promoted Saints in the rarefied air of the Premier League - he was sacked immediately after a defeat against Spurs which was their 13th in the league this campaign from 16 games. But one of Marting's main selling points as a head coach for Rangers is the possession-heavy (and high pressing) game that he likes to play - having set the Championship record of a remarkable 566 passes in the first half of a league match against Sheffield Wednesday. And he stands by that - even making it more EXTREME - even if he did learn one harsh lesson through his Premier League ordeal. Martin outlined his football philosophy in a recent The Rest is Football podcast with Gary Lineker. Advertisement He said: "I'm not miles away from where I started if that makes sense. "I speak to a lot of managers and they have this idea at the start ... but I'm not far away from where I started off at all. "In fact I've probably gone a bit more extreme than I would have done at the start. "You work things out during the process - what works. what's good. Advertisement "There things we can definitely do better and I need to do everything I can to get to a level where I scan showcase that again. And show that it DOES work and not just with the best players." So why did things go so wrong in the top flight south of the border? Rangers fans react as 49ers takeover completed Well, for starters he reckons the team he had at Southampton in the Premier League was actually WEAKER than the one he had in the Championship. And secondly, he reckons he changed his formation too much geared on who is team was about to play against. Advertisement He certainly sees no contradiction in teams who can play a possession based game but also press high. He said: "To dominate the ball, you need to press high and you need to get the ball back quickly or else you can't have 60% possession like I've had. "For some reason, when I get questioned about it a lot, it is like you can't do both but I really believe you can. "To have the ball you need to be able to press high, and counter press a lot. Advertisement "People will say you can maybe be a bit more pragmatic in the build and play from there. My feeling is that I have learned a lot but would I do things differently? No. 3 Russell Martin, Manager of Southampton, reacts during the Premier League match Credit: Getty "I changed formation too much. Although the concept doesn't change, it needs to be this way or that way. "But for me that's a concept of the game, it's not formulaic. The problem was we weren't winning, rather than being really consistent with the shape, I was overthinking a bit. Advertisement "Like your chasing your tail again, we're going to City away so we are going to play a back five, once we broke through the city press which we did a lot, Pep Guardiola was very complimentary - we had two full backs playing wing back at the top end of the pitch and we couldn't finish off. "Yeah I think [I should have changed less] think it would have given us something more tangible to look back on "Cultural context is really important. People forget that in football a lot. The culture of the club, what it's about, what it has been used to. I'm not sure there's certain clubs I could go into and ask for real patience when the goalie is standing on the ball for 25 minutes and they're wanting it put forward because that's what they're used to. "So I realised I limited my options." Advertisement Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Gary Lineker takes Rest is Football podcast to new home following BBC exit
Gary Lineker left his presenting role with the BBC one year early following a social media row after he shared a post about Zionism, and his highly-successful podcast Gary Lineker has taken his highly-successful The Rest is Football podcast to broadcaster DAZN following his departure from the BBC. The partnership will see the hugely popular show, which is fronted by Lineker alongside Alan Shearer and Micah Richards, will include footage of the Club World Cup in the video version of the show. The deal with DAZN, which has rights for this summer's revamped FIFA tournament in the United States, comes after the podcast was removed from the BBC's audio streaming service last week following Lineker's exit from the corporation. Lineker, 64, bowed out from the iconic highlights show last weekend after 25 years at the helm. His exit from the corporation came shortly after the former England star issued an apology for sharing an anti-Semitic post on social media, prompting him and the BBC to come to terms on an agreement to part ways. Lineker, who issued an unreserved apology, will no longer front the BBC's coverage of the 2026 World Cup or the FA Cup next season, with his final appearance on Match of the Day airing on May 25. Pete Oliver, chief executive of growth markets at DAZN, said: 'The Rest Is Football is essential viewing and listening for fans who want insight, entertainment, and personality — and this partnership is a brilliant way to bring the FIFA Club World Cup even closer to that audience. It's about connecting global football with the voices fans trust and love, and showing the tournament in a fresh, exciting, and authentically British way.' The decision comes after news filtered out that the BBC decided to cancel what would have been Lineker's final Match of the Day interview - with Liverpool star Mohamed Salah - shortly before his farewell appearance on the show. According to The Sun, Lineker's final interview in his role was axed at short notice. It's claimed that the move may have been made by the BBC amid concerns that Lineker 'would say something controversial about Gaza' during his chat with Salah. A source confirmed to the publication that the interview was due to be played across Match of the Day and Football Focus over the weekend of Lineker's final show before Alex Kay-Jelski, the BBC's director of sport, pulled the plug. They said: 'Out of nowhere, it got cancelled. Some people think they didn't want Gary and Mo to talk about Gaza. Salah has spoken out in his support for Palestinians living in Gaza and Gary has made his feelings clear too. It felt like it may have come up naturally in conversation. 'It seems they axed it rather than risk possible editorial issues. They'd only just overcome one storm so to face another would have been a nightmare.'
