Micah Richards responds to Gary Lineker Match of the Day speculation with clear message

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

The rumour mill is in full swing as speculation mounts over who will take over for Gary Lineker on Match of the Day, much to the chagrin of Micah Richards, who labelled the rumours "disrespectful".

Earlier this month it was announced that, after more than 25 years in the role, Lineker would be stepping down as host of the BBC's flagship football programme at the end of the season.

While Match of the Day 2 host Mark Chapman is the bookies' favourite replace him, others like Gabby Logan, Alex Scott, and Reshmin Chowdhury are also reportedly in contention.

Former Manchester City star Richards, who has been a regular pundit on Match of the Day since 2021, is among those tipped for the position, but the 36-year-old he believes others are more qualified for the role. "When people are saying 'Micah Richards [is] potentially going to take over the presenter job', I feel like it's a massive disrespect to all the presenters out there," he said on The Rest Is Football podcast. READ MORE: Gary Lineker Match of the Day replacement latest as new surprise contender emerges READ MORE: Match of the Day option rules himself out of BBC promotion to replace Gary Lineker "Just because I'm a pundit, I can give insight into a player, I feel I know the game, I watch tactics.