Revealed: The shock identify BBC insiders suppose is on Match of the Day record to interchange Gary Lineker – MIKE KEEGAN’S INSIDE SPORT

Potential modifications to Match of the Day, together with the race to interchange Gary Lineker, stay the speak of the BBC.

Insiders consider that one transfer being thought-about is to introduce a section to the highlights present of stories from behind the scenes, which might see a journalist introduced in to present some off-the-field element.

The looks of Roman Kemp on Radio 5 Dwell, on which he lately hosted the 606 phone-in with Robbie Savage, has additionally set tongues wagging.

With Chris Sutton overlaying Celtic’s late conflict at Hearts, the 31-year-old stepped in to co-host. Kemp, son of Spandau Ballet star Martin, carried out properly after a nervous begin and is understood to have admirers in excessive locations.

Whether or not the BBC’s new director of sport Alex Kay-Jelski would give him Lineker’s sneakers to fill, nevertheless, stays to be seen.

Chelsea to usher in additional hires 

Chelsea proceed to get their act collectively on and off the sphere – and are set to usher in quite a lot of additional hires on the enterprise facet of their operation. 

The West London outfit wish to herald a director of company affairs and communications to supervise a bunch of urgent points, not least the state of affairs with the stadium. Stamford Bridge – or extra precisely its comparatively small capability of 40,343 – stays a difficulty that must be resolved.

No selections are thought to have been taken over the way forward for the membership’s historic dwelling. It’s a complicated state of affairs, not least due to the state of affairs with the Chelsea Pitch House owners, which holds the freehold over the stadium and will doubtlessly block any try at a transfer.

The brand new addition would even be chargeable for a wide range of areas throughout the enterprise together with coverage and regulation, with officers maintaining an in depth eye on the political state of affairs each in Europe and at dwelling, with a brand new regulator incoming. On the enjoying facet, strikes could be forthcoming on scouting, knowledge and analytics.

Whereas it’s early within the season, there’s a view that Chelsea are reaping the dividends of labor put in 12 months in the past and that, with a younger squad on lengthy contracts, they seem like properly set for a interval of success.

Padel’s on the wheel

Whereas the eyes of the Formulation One world had been on the monitor for this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix, lots of the drivers had already taken half in a keenly contested competitors elsewhere.

The padel courtroom at Doha’s Waldorf Astoria threw its doorways open to drivers and sports activities figures from internationally within the days constructing as much as the large race.

Insiders say British pair George Russell and Lando Norris had been amongst these to catch the attention whereas Novak Djokovic took on Premier Padel (and Paris Saint-Germain) chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi.

Wales to deal with the FA

The try by Welsh golf equipment enjoying within the English league to qualify for Europe by getting into the Welsh League Cup will now go earlier than the complete FA Board, relatively than only a sub-committee.

In what would look like a blow for these eager to ‘have their Welsh cake and eat it’, as one English exec quipped, EFL golf equipment have been instructed that the choice has been made ‘because of the significance and significance of the subject’.

Golf equipment have additionally been assured that they are going to be given the chance to reply as a part of the session course of.

Ignorance is Faes

Not all of Leicester Metropolis’s footballers had been out partying whereas supervisor Steve Cooper was getting sacked. A bunch together with Conor Coady and Harry Winks had been noticed in a Copenhagen nightclub, near an indication which learn ‘Enzo I Miss U’, which many interpreted as a dig at Enzo Maresca’s alternative, hours after the defeat by Chelsea which noticed Cooper punted regardless of his facet not being within the relegation zone.

Nevertheless, with the squad not anticipated again in till Tuesday, centre-back Wout Faes was noticed within the extra tranquil environment of Cliveden Home in Buckinghamshire. Certainly, as membership bosses had been harshly deciding that Cooper was out of his depth, Faes was stress-free within the spa’s swimming pool.

The Gretsy Lights

Christmas lights of a unique selection have arrived at Crewe Alexandra courtesy of Cheshire Police, relatively than Santa Claus.

Officers arrived at Gresty Highway final week armed with LED develop lights, which that they had seized following a raid at a hashish manufacturing unit.

With the League Two facet’s pitch having suffered in earlier winters, the donations had been well-received by membership employees, with one insider claiming they now had their very own model of the Northern Lights.