JERMAINE JENAS has jokingly said he would fight Gary Lineker to become Match of the Day host – but he revealed the one man he would not.
England legend Lineker, 60, landed the role after an iconic playing career for the likes of Leicester City, Everton, Barcelona and Tottenham.
He took over from Des Lynham presenting the hit BBC football highlights show in 1999 and has remained in the hot-seat ever since.
Jenas, who played for Spurs, Newcastle and QPR as well as for the Three Lions 21 times, has followed Lineker into the television world since hanging up his boots.
He is co-host of BBC’s The One Show and the 40-year-old has also appeared several times on Match of the Day as a pundit.
He has recently stated that he would love to take over from Lineker, and that led to an amusing moment last Saturday during his latest appearance on the show.
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Lineker asked him live on air: “You want this job?”
Jenas replied: “No, no, I’m alright, thanks, for now.”
Lineker, grinning along with the rest of Jenas’ co-pundits, then said: “Later.”
Jenas, who also works for TNT Sports, then appeared on talkSPORT Drive this week where the show’s presenter Andy Goldstein jokingly asked Jenas if he would fight Lineker for the job.
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The 2008 League Cup winner joked: “Gary? Yeah I’d fight him.”
When asked whether he would win, Jenas remarked: “I’d like to think so!”
But when fellow MOTD pundit Alan Shearer, whom he played with at Newcastle, was put forward as a potential opponent, Jenas said: “Yeah I mean, I don’t get where you’re going with this line of questioning to be honest with you!
“Al was a strange one, I feel like Al has shrunk over the years.
“When I first turned up to Newcastle, we used to get changed at St. James’ Park and then catch a coach to training.
“We didn’t have a training ground, so when they signed me, I think somebody said, ‘Take him to the training ground.’
“Bobby Robson was like, ‘No don’t take him to the training ground, take him down the Quayside,’ which is another story. But eventually, once I’ve signed, I turn up at St. James’ Park, got changed.
“I remember looking at Al getting changed and I thought, ‘I’ve got to wear shin pads for training, I didn’t realise.’ We didn’t, his legs were that big, his calves and his ankles were just huge.
“People like him and [Wayne] Rooney, they’re just built that way. But yeah, that Shearer, I’m not fighting him.”
It comes after we reported this week how Lineker is set for a new £1.35million-a-year contract extension with the BBC.
His contract is set to expire at the end of next season – at the same time as the BBC’s current Premier League highlights rights package.
With the Corporation set to seal a four-year extension to show Prem action on Saturday nights, they are keen to keep Lineker on as presenter.
That is despite him being controversially suspended for a week by the BBC for his social media activity earlier this year.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
