Former Leicester City striker, Gary Lineker has opened up about former manager Jock Wallace and his rage in the dressing room.
Jock Wallace was Leicester manager for four years between 1978 and 1982, following success at Rangers.
The Scottish coach won ten trophies in his time with the Glaswigans, a spell which lasted just six years. As a result, he came to the Foxes with pedigree.
Lineker began his senior career in the same year that Wallace joined and was at the club for his entire reign.
On his podcast, Lineker has discussed a scary moment in his career.
What has Gary Lineker said about Jock Wallace?
It was one of Wallace’s first games at Leicester and at the time, Lineker wasn’t a fully-fledged first-teamer.
Discussing the night of the story, he said: “It was a midweek game at Filbert Street. Playing for the reserves and I came in at half-time, went and sat in my spot in the dressing room.
“He was six foot four, wide as a door, and the first time I ever saw him was in this half-time in the dressing room.”
A scary figure by the sound of things and the story gets more extreme.
Continuing, Lineker said: “He looked incandescent with rage – he’s sweating and swearing I thought ‘Christ, he’s looking at me’.
“He picked me up by the scruff of the neck and kind of pinned me against the wall and gone ‘you lazy, wee English s*****.’”
This may be enough for anyone to improve, or frighten a young player to put them off for life.
On the second half, Lineker added: “Honestly, in the second half I went out there and I was useless. I was a gibbering wreck and was like ‘This is a nightmare’.
“I come in at the end of the game, he comes into the dressing room and says to me ‘wee man, in my office, 9 am in the morning.”
The English striker believed his career with the Foxes was over and that Wallace may be coming to sell him on.
This wasn’t the case: “He said to me ‘I want to say one thing to you. You were magnificent last night’, and I said ‘I beg your pardon?’
“He responded ‘Aye, I just wanted to make sure you keep your feet on the ground – you’ve got a chance.'”
The story continued for Lineker, he went on to make 461 appearances and score 238 goals for five clubs.
He also became one of the best strikers in England’s national team history. He scored 48 in 80 goals across his career.
A great story and the kind of thing fans love to listen to.