Gary Lineker's Quotes

When I see old photos of me on the beach I don't look too bad... but it's hard trying to breathe in for such a long time when I spot the photographers!

When you're winning games, everyone thinks everything the manager says and does is fantastic. Then it goes the other way, and those earlier criticisms of players can backfire.

Football is a simple game. Twenty-two men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans always win.

I am not leaving twitter. If the mindless few defeat the thoughtful majority we are all doomed.

I know I am extraordinarily lucky to be doing what I am doing. I have worked hard along the way and I have been blessed too. I have had a great life.

I know I could never be in a pop band. I honestly have an appalling voice.

I try to avoid saying 'fantastic' too often and 'obviously' is a dangerous word for all broadcasters.

I was only interested in scoring goals. I wasn't interested in anything else.

I wouldn't want to go out six nights a week and watch somebody's reserves playing to check out a footballer to see if we're going to buy him.

I'm disappearing from twitter for a while. Need a break from the bile. Local prejudice just seems to bring out the worst in some people.

I've only got a Saturday job so my weekdays are generally pretty free.

If somebody in the crowd spits at you, you've got to swallow it.

My eldest son George had acute myeloid leukaemia when he was a tiny baby, he is now 20 and doing very well. He is a mini-miracle in many ways.

My wife Danielle and I love travelling, different cultures and good weather.

The truth is I don't feel too bad for my age. I actually have a better shape now than I used to.

The World Cup is every four years, so it's going to be a perennial problem.

You've got no chance of reaching the top if you're just playing for money.

I just think to be a manager you've got to live and breathe and have this incredible enthusiasm for football, the whole thing. And while I love the game, and it's been a large part of my life, it's not the only thing in my life.

I was quite good at football once, although other than that my speciality would be maths. I'm great at sudokus and find all the spin-off games pretty easy too.

My fiancee's brother-in-law was recently paralysed in an accident and it really brought home the fact that thousands of young people live with spinal injuries. It's an issue I wish had more coverage.

Ooh, it's too embarrassing to share my innermost romantic secrets - although I have written Danielle the odd poem. If anything they are more comedic than romantic. They used to be well-received but that was before she started studying Shakespeare at drama college. Now I feel so inept.

That's one of the magical things about the Olympics, Team GB will have someone challenging in a sport that we've never watched and all of a sudden it'll be the biggest thing ever.

The best, most successful managers in the modern era are those who can keep a player happy even if he is not in the team. Given the size of the squads and the use of rotation nowadays, that's tougher than it's ever been.