Gary Lineker lashes out at pushy parents

London: Garey Lineker has hit out at the “utterly depressing” culture of pushy parents trying to turn their children into footballing superstars.

He said the behaviour of competitive mothers and fathers puts pressure on the children and stops them enjoying themselves — and hinders their development as players.

The Match of the Day presenter said they should just “shut... up” while watching their youngsters.

Lineker, 52, has previously told how he has been moved to try and speak to other fathers on the touchline at football matches in to try and get them to calm down.

Writing in the New Statesman, the former England player, who scored 48 goals in 80 international games, was bemoaning the standard of football at youth level.

He said: “It’s obvious why we have a long-ball culture: the big lads who can kick it furthest are the ones that stand out. What chance for the diminutive yet gifted midfielder? No chance of him developing his tiki-taka football.

“The only way to get to the other end of the pitch is to belt it and then belt it again.”

And he said that some of the blame for this mentality lay with the parents who don’t allow their children time to develop as players.

Lineker — who was asked to contribute to the magazine by guest editor comedian Russell Brand — wrote: “This madness is only exacerbated by the maniacal parents on the touchline spouting nonsense at their children.

“The competitive nature of most mums and dads is astounding. The fear they instil in our promising but sensitive Johnny is utterly depressing. We need a parental cultural revolution. If we could just get them to shut... up and let their children enjoy themselves, you would be staggered at the difference it would make.”

Lineker has previously spoken of how he was left shocked at the behaviour of fellow parents he encountered on the sidelines when he was a spectator at amateur games played by his children George, 21, Harry, 19, Tobias, 16, and Angus, 13, all from his first marriage to Michelle Cockayne.

He said the problem of pushy and aggressive parents isn’t so much of an issue in other countries such as Holland, where parents are much more relaxed with their children.

In a previous piece he wrote: “I remember the applause from watching parents when something good happened on the pitch — and patient silence if a pass went astray.”

But in England, he says he has witnessed mothers and fathers swearing at the referee, abusing the manager and shouting at their own children — one time even seeing a father take his own son off the pitch because he thought he was playing poorly.

Lineker, who was never booked or sent off it his career, admitted that he has even confronted other parents in a bid to get them to calm down.

He wrote previously: “It’s got so bad at times that I’ve felt it necessary to have a quiet word with some of them to tone it down, politely suggesting that their ‘commitment’ isn’t actually helping their own sons relax and enjoy playing the game.” He added: “There is a breed of parent I’ve seen who hurl ridiculous abuse at the officials or even the young player they are meant to be supporting.

“It is as if they are living their own dreams through their kids. They put far too much pressure on them and the results can be shocking.”