A row in the UK between the BBC and Gary Lineker will be resolved with a 'climbdown' by the British broadcaster.
London-based journalist Enda Brady also says the BBC is expected to announce it is reviewing its social media guidelines following the controversy.
It follows a tumultuous weekend for the BBC and its football shows - notably 'Match of the Day' on Saturday evening, which had a much shorter airtime of 20 minutes without commentary, pundit analysis, post-match interviews or theme music.
Lineker has been involved in a row over impartiality by comparing the language used to launch a new British government asylum policy with 1930s Germany.
TV presenter Gary Lineker at the Leicester City v Manchester United match in March 2021. Picture by: MatchDay Images Limited / Alamy Stock PhotoHe was suspended by the BBC from presenting 'Match of the Day' on Friday after they said in a statement he would "step back" from hosting the weekly football highlights programme.
Fellow pundits Ian Wright and Alan Shearer both announced they would not appear on 'Match of the Day', and a plethora of presenters, former footballers and commentators followed suit in not participating in BBC weekend football shows.
Enda Brady told Newstalk Breakfast the BBC got this wrong.
"I think you'll see some movement in the coming hours," he said.
"I'm told there are crisis talks this morning at the BBC.
"Tim Davie, [the BBC] Director-General, spent all of last week in Washington DC - he flew back in last night.
"I think he and the chairman have really misjudged this; they've made a complete mess of it.
"Today they will be scrambling to come out with some sort of a fudge - is the phrase that was used to me - basically a deal whereby the social media guidelines will be relaxed for people who are not news presenters.
"It's not as if Gary Lineker was presenting the main evening news and giving his opinion on people arriving, looking for asylum in the UK.
"I think what we'll see today is a climbdown by the BBC.
"Lineker has run rings around them - for a guy who famously didn't run very far as a striker, he has absolutely run rings around BBC management".
'An absolute shambles'
Enda says the BBC failed to realise how popular Lineker is.
"It's really split opinion over here - if you go on social media, you'll see people telling Gary Lineker to shut up and stick to the soccer.
"He didn't make these comments on any BBC platform, and I think what the BBC bosses have failed to judge is just how popular he is.
"The big player in all of this, for my money really, was Ian Wright.
"As soon as Ian Wright came out and said, 'Solidarity with Gary Lineker' everyone else fell into line.
"The BBC sports coverage at the weekend was an absolute shambles, and I think the bosses are worried about the coming weekend ahead and weekends to come.
"So you'll see a deal done today, and Gary Lineker will be presenting Match of the Day Saturday night," he added.
Listen back to the full interview below:
Additional reporting: IRN
