A number of Liverpool fans have lashed out at Gary Lineker after the BBC and BT Sport presenter tweeted (@GaryLineker) that the football season could come to a premature end due to coronavirus, misquoting a famous line from ex-Reds manager Bill Shankly in the process.
Manchester City v Arsenal is postponed. Off to Liverpool but can’t help feeling like it’s the beginning of the end of the football season. Despite the words of the late Bill Shankly, football is not more serious than life and death.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) March 11, 2020
Following the postponement of tonight’s Premier League clash between Manchester City and Arsenal, the ex-England striker feels that it is “the beginning of the end of the football season” and added: “Despite the words of the late Bill Shankly, football is not more serious than life and death.” As per the Liverpool Echo, Shankly’s actual words were: “Some people believe football is a matter of life and death. I am very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that.”
Coronavirus has already led to widespread disruption of sporting events across Europe, with the Italian football federation admitting that the Serie A season is under threat and numerous matches to be played behind closed doors, including several European fixtures this week, top-flight matches in Spain and France and Ireland’s upcoming Euro 2020 play-off against Slovakia. However, Liverpool supporters may be glad to know that, with the Reds 25 points clear at the top and just two wins away from being crowned champions, the Premier League currently has no intention of postponing any further matches in the division.
Despite the undeniable threat of a virus that has killed six people and infected 373 in the UK alone (as per Sky News), with more than 4,200 deaths and 118,000 cases worldwide (as per ecdc.europa.eu), these Liverpool fans were not impressed by Lineker’s tweet about the football season potentially ending:
This is disgraceful. You really ought to be more responsible with the platform you have, not least being a highly paid football presenter. You are simply not qualified to comment intelligently on this subject.
— Danny (@dlm2131978) March 11, 2020
Stop hyping it up behave yourself.
— bren (@Bren39225970) March 11, 2020
I hate when ppl us shanklys words like this! Taken out of context! He meant in a city of high unemployment and bad times after the war, football was a huge source of enjoyment in an otherwise hard life!
— Jambags (@jambags) March 11, 2020
It is when you’ve been waiting 30 years for a league title
— Matt C (@mattcorenews24) March 11, 2020
Imagine you could even quote bill bill shankly in a correct and respectful manor, get your fact sorted fella
— Gee ?? (@GeorgiaC1998) March 11, 2020
— Stokoe Cartoons (@mikestokoe) March 11, 2020
So, in that situation, who’s playing champions league next season then genius?
Is every concert getting cancelled? Every public space limited to numbers visiting?
Busses, trains and planes parked up?
Seriously Gary, read these things before you post. Think them through…— chris cummings (@chriscummings76) March 11, 2020
Liverpool fans, were you angered by Lineker’s tweet? Let us know in the comments section below!
