‘Incredibly difficult’- Jeff Stelling to leave Soccer Saturday
Soccer Saturday presenter Jeff Stelling has announced the Sky Sports show at the end of the current season, citing it as an incredible ‘incredibly difficult decision.’
The 66-year-old broadcaster, who revealed the news on Saturday’s show, said he will also be departing Sky Sports, but plans to carry on working.
Stelling insisted he has not been forced by Sky bosses to leave.
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His exit comes after Matt Le Tissier, Charlie Nicholas and Phil Thompson were controversially stood down from the show last year.
Stelling said: “Before we do the team news from Newcastle, I have got some team news from Sky Sports and Soccer Saturday to tell you about.
“I will have been at Sky for 30 years next year, and hosted Soccer Saturday for the past 25 or so – I am not too clever at statistics – but I have come to the decision, an incredibly difficult decision, that this will be my final season.
“It has been my decision. There has been no pressure whatsoever. Sky have been absolutely brilliant with me, as they always always have been.
“I am going to be here until May, and then I am leaving the show and the company so that is about seven months of Saturday afternoon parties, so let’s get this party going.”
Jeff Stelling will leave Soccer Saturday at the end of the season, saying “it is time to let somebody else have a go at what is the best job in the world”.
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) October 30, 2021
In 1994, Stelling was handed the presenting role for Sports Saturday, which became Soccer Saturday four years later.
He was also the main host for the broadcaster’s live Champions League coverage between 2011 and 2015.
Elsewhere, Stelling’s Soccer Saturday colleague, Paul Merson, has urged Newcastle to appoint Rafa Benitez as their new manager.
“I’ve said before. They are in trouble. They need a firefighter who knows the league and can keep them up – and Benitez would do that.
“They’re talking about Paulo Fonseca? Wow. He just got the sack for Jose Mourinho. How long would it take him to get to know the players and the league?
“Benitez knows them all already – and is massively popular with the fans.
“If you’re the new owners and you’ve got all the money in the world and you want to listen to the fans, just go to Everton and offer them loads of money for Benitez.
“You need the fans on your side or you’ve got no chance. Get Rafa back. Give him a long contract and go from there.
“He won’t be trying to entertain but he will make sure they get results. That’s what they need. They need to stay up!
“Newcastle won’t be making big name signings in January. But if they stay up they can start to build for next season because Rafa can get big players in.”