Pundit and ex-pro-footballer, Eni Aluko, is in the spotlight again for her audacious and controversial opinions, but is she hindering rather than helping the female game?
In 2014, Eni Aluko made history by becoming the first ever woman to appear as a pundit on the BBC’s Match of the Day and paving the way for many women to follow behind her. In recent years, the former Lioness with over 100 caps has been a regular pundit on ITV and TNT Sport’s coverage of football. Yet, in the past few days, she has reignited her controversial opinions that “male pundits do not hold a place in women’s football”.
The initial controversy began last April when Aluko appeared on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour. She made comments directed at her co-pundit Ian Wright, and criticised his involvement in the women’s football space.
“I think we need to be conscious, and we need to make sure that women are not being blocked from having a pathway into broadcasting in the women’s game.“
In her comments, Aluko suggested that Wright was minimising opportunities for other women pundits, and that he himself was partially responsible for the lack of female representation.
Many fans of the sport criticised these comments, as many believe Wright is a positive force in the women’s game. The former Arsenal player has famously funded Stoke player Jayleigh McDonald, who ruptured her ACL last year. Her club withdrew financial support for her rehabilitation. The footballer took to social media expressing she couldn’t afford to pay for her healthcare on her own, and her career was on the line. Ian Wright paid her expenses.
Wright has publicly supported women’s football for over 30 years, when many didn’t have an interest in the sport. He has donated thousands to support female coaches and continues to use his platform to further the women’s game.
Eni Aluko took to social media after the backlash, emphasising she was “trying to make a broader point about the limited opportunities for women in football.“
Wright also responded to this on his social media after her comments were made public, stating, “I’m very disappointed in what Eni has said; she knows how I’ve helped her, supported her publicly. I’ve seen the apology on social media, but I can’t accept it.“
The controversy seemed to fade away after Aluko’s apology last year, with Wright urging people to move on. But over the past few days, she appeared on an episode of the 90s Baby Show and reopened some old wounds.
Aluko expressed her frustrations in the podcast about Nedum Onuoha and Ian Wright featuring in BBC and ITV coverage of the women’s Euros final.
“In the women’s game, opportunities are limited, so perhaps the stars of the show should be the women. Men should be part of that. I’m not saying anybody should be excluded. I believe in diversity wholeheartedly, but the same way we’ve played a role in the men’s game, that’s a supporting role, you’re part of the ensemble, you’re never going to get the premium final games, it should be the same way for women’s football.“
The 38-year-old went on and reiterated her criticism of Ian Wright on the podcast and his handling of the previous controversy.
“When I apologised to Ian Wright publicly and privately, he had an opportunity to show the grace and allyship that he showed to many other people, and to prove that he is the ally that he says he is. Unfortunately, my sincerity, my humility, was met with disrespect.“
Aluko insinuated that Ian Wright’s public comments were hypocritical when it comes to his allyship of women’s football involvement. Suggesting that he isn’t the ally he accuses himself of being.
The podcast went viral, with many taking to social media, furious with Aluko. Many believe that her comments come across as entitled and arrogant. That it is disrespectful for all the males who help shine a positive light on the women’s game. Many fans and footballers involved in the women’s game jumped to Wright’s defence, insisting that males are important to progress the women’s game further, and Wright is a vital figure who uses his status for good.
TNT Sport’s main host for the Champions League coverage, Laura Woods, took to X on Monday to respond to Aluko’s comments.
“The women’s game should be “by women for women” is one of the most damaging phrases I’ve heard. It will not only drag women’s sport backwards, but it will also drag women’s punditry in all forms of the game backwards.“
“If you want to grow something, you don’t gatekeep it. We want to encourage little boys and men to watch women’s football too, not just little girls and women. And when they see someone like Ian Wright taking it as seriously as he does – they follow suit. That’s how you grow a sport.“
Eni Aluko responded with a statement saying: “I believe that women’s football should prioritise women as the faces of the sport – it’s as simple as that. I think women should be the dominant force in the women’s game in the same way that men are the dominant force in the men’s game. That means men should play more of a supporting role. That’s all I’m saying – and people are quite free to disagree whilst respecting my right to an opinion too.“
Aluko then appeared on Talksport the following day and featured alongside former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan to debate the topic further. The pair clashed in a deeply personal argument.
During her time on air, she hit back at Laura Woods, “I would consistently go to Laura and say, ‘How do you think it went? What do you think? How did it go?”
“I had to look at the messages yesterday and think, hold on, I feel a bit gaslit here. Laura consistently said to me, ‘I think you’re a brilliant broadcaster. I think you’re a brilliant pundit’.
“So I think there’s a little bit of serving her argument at this point, which I respect. She doesn’t agree, and that’s fine. But I think there’s an insinuation in there that you don’t meet the standard.“
“I’ve worked too hard for people to conclude that because you’re not seeing me on screen, I’m not good enough. That’s not true.“
Aluko raises some bold statements that hold people to account and get important conversations started. Despite having genuine intentions to provide more spaces for women, her comments appear to the majority as arrogant and entitled. Her public comments suggest to fans that Aluko expects opportunities to be handed to her, just because of her vast experience in the women’s game and not because of her skill and talent as a pundit.
Going on podcasts and complaining about the lack of female presence in football punditary dosen’t appear like a genuine attempt to provide representation. It appears as a cry for a job opportunity without earning the role down to pure competence. Bringing down other, very capable pundits just appears salty for the fact that they are in the position that she so desperately wants.
