Gary Lineker has called for “really defensive” Gareth Southgate to quit England and for the Football Association to “go all out” to replace him with Jürgen Klopp.

But Micah Richards said he would “go one bigger” and try to lure Pep Guardiola from Manchester City, while Alan Shearer insisted the job should go to an English manager, dubbing Newcastle United’s Eddie Howe “the outstanding candidate”.

Speaking on their The Rest Is Football podcast, the BBC Match of the Day presenter and pundits argued over who should take charge of England if Southgate quit after their heartbreaking European Championship final defeat by Spain.

The trio, who have savaged the country’s performances and Southgate’s tactics in Germany several times during the tournament, used their podcast to deliver another scathing verdict on both fronts in Sunday’s final in Berlin.

And while they praised Southgate for transforming the team’s fortunes since inheriting what Shearer branded an “absolute s---show” following their Euro 2016 humiliation at the hands of Iceland, Lineker said it was now time for a change.

He said: “I think he’s been the right person to bring the nation together in terms of the football team. And, now, maybe it’s time for someone else with a more modern, attacking style of football. Because I think the game’s gone away from being successful if you’re really defensive.”

After asking Shearer and Richards who should replace Southgate, Lineker said: “Wouldn’t you go all out for Jürgen Klopp?”

Richards replied, “I’d go one bigger – Pep”, to which Lineker said, “I think we’d all love Pep but do you realistically think Pep?”, only for Richards to fire back, “Why not?”

Lineker said of former Liverpool manager Klopp: “Klopp’s kind of been out of a job. He’ll have had a bit of a rest.”

Shearer interjected: “Do you really think England would go for a German manager?”

But Lineker said: “He’s not really German, is he? He’s half German, isn’t he, because he’s been in England for so long.”

Richards said that while he did not want Guardiola to leave City, he “would love” him to succeed Southgate.

But Lineker said: “The thing is, club managers are paid an awful lot of money. I can’t see the FA stumping up that kind of cash.”

Shearer said: “I’m for England and English managers. Howe would be the outstanding candidate. There’s a lot going on at Newcastle. The guys who appointed Eddie have now left.”

Lineker said: “He’s a front-foot manager. He’s young. He’s got a real energy to his football.”

He and Richards also lamented the lack of English alternatives, with Lineker asking: “Why aren’t we producing English coaches? It’s nuts, isn’t it? It’s weird.”