The maligned Mark Lawrenson has been handed a "reduced role" by the BBC in a bid to revive their flagging flagship programme, Match of the Day.
Although the corporation's footballing institution continues to boast four million in ratings, it has been the subject of heavy criticism in recent seasons.
Lawrenson is regularly ridiculed by viewers, and after he was not mentioned in a pre-season press release the assumption was the BBC had sacked him.
However the BBC clarified the former Liverpool defender would still appear on Match of the Day, albeit less frequently.
And the Saturday night programme's line-up of pundits would appear to suggest its overdue overhaul is still yet to occur.
Michael Owen, Robbie Fowler, Les Ferdinand, Gus Poyet and Gianluca Vialli will all appear, with Alans Hansen and Shearer still the main pundits.