What next for Lineker and MOTD after the long goodbye?

The art of a good negotiation is that both sides believe they have got a good deal. On that basis, the long-heralded departure of Gary Lineker from Match Of The Day must be judged a success.

The BBC’s new head of sport, Alex Kay-Jelski (a former colleague when I was sports editor at the Daily Mail) was obviously intent on moving Lineker on after 25 years presenting the flagship TV highlights program and he succeeded.

Lineker, represented by the veteran agent Jon Holmes, did not want to cut ties with the BBC completely and will stay on to present its coverage of the 2026 World Cup finals. The BBC will also pay to host his podcast, The Rest Is Football, on BBC Sounds 48 hours after it becomes available on other platforms.

It is an elegant solution. Lineker remains popular, but he became increasingly political and his pronouncements on social media tried the patience of BBC bosses. He seemed to enjoy his new-found role as a public irritant and was never going to back down.

Lineker’s departure also tells us something about the future of football punditry. He modelled himself on his urbane predecessor Des Lynam, mastering the deceptively tricky art of the TV anchor and becoming a reliable, middle-of-the road presence in our living rooms with a good line in corny puns. But the role did not allow him to voice strong opinions; the anchor is the conductor of the orchestra, not the first violinist playing dazzling solos.

Podcasting has changed the terms of reference, liberating Lineker from the BBC straitjacket and giving him a voice alongside fellow ex-pro pundits Alan Shearer and Micah Richards. At 64, Lineker recognised he had a sell-by date at Match Of The Day but 82% of listeners to his podcast are under 45 so he is reinventing himself for a new audience.

It is a more discursive format, giving him a chance to express his personality and, although he will doubtless miss his £1.35m BBC salary, the success of Goalhanger Productions will cushion the blow.

Kay-Jelski gets to choose Lineker’s successor and make a statement by taking the show in a new direction – perhaps radically. Ironically, a poll of football fans this week by Ipsos UK found that the nation’s favourite pundit is Alan Shearer – hardly the voice or face of a new generation - and he is also the top choice to host Match Of The Day. Perhaps we are more conservative in our tastes than some TV executives would like.

Tim Jotischky is Divisional Managing Director of Reputation at The PHA Group