The venerable highlights institution that is Match of the Day is facing a great crisis this weekend, as the BBC forced presenter Gary Lineker to step back from the role for tweeting a true thing. Pundits Ian Wright and Alan Shearer said they wouldn't appear without him and tonight the BBC has said that Match of the Day will broadcast tomorrow with no presenters or pundits. There are rumours this evening that commentators are considering boycotting as well.
So it's really no surprise Matt Le Tissier ended up on GB News tonight to discuss punditry and politics.
Le Tissier was once a staple of the Soccer Saturday punditry crew until Sky Sports decided to freshen up the line-up back in 2020.
Once the former Southampton great began to peddle conspiracy theories about covid and the invasion of Ukraine, he disappeared entirely from the august world of mainstream football punditry.
Le Tissier on Wright and Lineker
Le Tissier was asked to appear on GB News tonight to discuss the Lineker controversy, and while his position was perhaps predictable, it was still surreal. It appears Le Tissier expected a similar display of solidarity when he and his fellow pundits didn't have their contracts renewed.
He said:
"It's really interesting as Ian is taking a stand for his mate and fellow TV worker.
"But what's really interesting about it is that if you go back three years and have a look at the reaction of Ian Wright to the sacking of myself, Phil Thompson and Charlie Nicholas and you will see that reaction is completely contradictory to the way he acted to this.
"It's all very well taking this stand but you know, let's show a bit of consistency with this Wrighty. If you're watching you know what I'm on about.
You can presume Wright was not watching the clip.
Watch the full discussion here:
Ahahahahahaha pic.twitter.com/lVlukNuY7n
— Nooruddean (@BeardedGenius) March 10, 2023
There are many levels to the hilarity here but it appears that Le Tissier is angry that Wright did not boycott a station he doesn't work for over an issue that has no relation to the one that Wright is taking a stand on here.
Here's what Wright said when he spoke out amid the outcry after the Soccer Saturday panel was freshened up to include black pundits and female pundits.
"Matt Le Tissier, Charlie Nicholas, Phil Thompson, they've had an unbelievable run, it's been a great show. This happens to everyone in the industry."
"This is Sky's decision to evolve the show. And I wish them all the very best. Yes, you can be disappointed that it's come to an end for those guys, they've done brilliantly.
Odd. Very odd.
