Rome Didn't Appoint
Today Catholic Bishops are approved of and appointed by Rome. The early church could not have functioned like that, since Rome had bishops after other cities such as Jerusalem, Antioch, Ephesus, and Philippi.
Rome could not have appointed Bishops in other cities if they did not have Bishops themselves. Rome simply had no ecclesiastical structure.
This proves Bishops could be viably appointed without a Papal consent, for there was no Papacy yet.
Also, the consent of Metropolitan Bishops could not be required, there were no metropolitan's yet.
Initially, bishops were chosen by the local clergy and lay Christians with the consent of neighbouring bishops, see Early Christianity. By the time of the First Council of Nicaea in 325, the metropolitan bishop had a role of the greatest importance in the selection. The Council decreed that the consent of the metropolitan bishop was normally required.[1]
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We have to realize such rules were non-apostolic dogma.
It also disproves apostolic succession through the laying of hands of Bishops.
Since Catholics say Bishops and Presbyters are different, there is no example of Bishops laying hands on Timothy or Titus under Catholic usage.
Notice Presbyters laid hands on Timothy, not the term episcopate.
1Ti 4:14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
There is no example of hands being laid by the term Bishop to ordain Timothy. We see Bishop and Presbyter as the same officer, Catholics do not.
Presbyters laid hands on Timothy, not Bishops under Catholic usage.
Bishops are required for apostolic succession.
Of course they may answer Paul laid hands on Timothy, not just the presbytery, but Timothy is referred to as an Evangelist, not a Bishop.
Timothy is called an evangelist after being left in Ephesus by Paul, thus not a Bishop as supposed.
2Ti 4:5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
Evangelists were an office distinct from Pastors (Bishops).
Eph 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
There is no proof of Bishop succession by Timothy or Titus. Neither were Bishops through Paul or had hands laid by Bishops under Catholic word usage.