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Gary Lineker calls for ban on ‘stressful’ homework as it ‘drives a wedge’ between kids and parents

Match of the Day host reckons children do enough at school and should not have to carry on working at home

Gary Lineker, pictured with son George, says he focused more on football while he was at school

GARY LINEKER is calling for a ban on homework as it is too "stressful" for children.

The Match of the Day host reckons kids do enough work at school.

 Gary Lineker believes children should not get homework as it is too "stressful"
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Gary Lineker believes children should not get homework as it is too "stressful"Credit: Rex Features

He said: "Homework should be banned. All it does is drive a massive wedge between parents and children because you end up having to do it for them, and it’s stressful.

“They get stressed and they don’t want to do it. They’re at school long enough as it is. Why do you have to come home and do two hours of homework?”

Dad-of-four Lineker, 56, told magazine: "I don’t think many people probably agree with me. But a lot of parents would, especially if you’ve had four boys.”

 Dad-of-four Gary Lineker believes homework can "drive a wedge" between children and parents
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Dad-of-four Gary Lineker believes homework can "drive a wedge" between children and parentsCredit: PA WIRE
 The Match of the Day host divorced from Danielle Bux in January 2016
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The Match of the Day host divorced from Danielle Bux in January 2016Credit: Fame Flynet
 Gary Lineker, pictured with son George, says he focused more on football while he was at school
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Gary Lineker, pictured with son George, says he focused more on football while he was at schoolCredit: Getty Images

The former England star is father to George, 24, Harry, 22, Tobias, 20, and Angus, 18, from his 20-year marriage to Michelle Cockayne, which ended in 2006.

He then split from second wife Danielle Bux in January 2016 because he felt he was too old to start a new family with her.

Ex-England striker Lineker has previously revealed he did "OK" at school, but his focus was on football.

Lineker, who received As in O-level maths and English and Ds in science, said: "If I’d known how difficult it was to be a footballer, I’d have worked harder at school. I did okay, but my mind was elsewhere.

"My last report said something along the lines of, ‘He concentrates far too much on football. He’ll never make a living at that’.”

 Gary Lineker and Danielle Bux split because the young model wanted kids and he felt he was too old to start a new family
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Gary Lineker and Danielle Bux split because the young model wanted kids and he felt he was too old to start a new familyCredit: Xposure
 Gary Lineker also says footballers need to be intelligent to succeed in the game
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Gary Lineker also says footballers need to be intelligent to succeed in the gameCredit: Getty Images
 Gary Lineker and Match of the Day pundit and SunSport columnist Alan Shearer on stage at the National Television Awards
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Gary Lineker and Match of the Day pundit and SunSport columnist Alan Shearer on stage at the National Television AwardsCredit: Getty Images

And he insists intelligence is needed to make it as a top footballer.

The BBC pundit added: "Top footballers are intelligent. You cannot be a really top footballer by being a dope.

"It’s not necessarily an academic kind of intelligence – they’re perhaps not massively educated, because most footballers have to concentrate on their football from quite an early age.

"You have to have a real spatial awareness and understanding of everything around you, which is an intelligence in itself.”

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