The first female pundit on Match of the Day, Eni Aluko, has sparked controversy over the issue of punditry. After arguing that Ian Wright and other male broadcasters are taking away opportunities from women in football, the debate has intensified. At the same time, women continue striving to make their mark on the men’s game in return.
First mentioned in conversation with BBC Radio 4’s Women’s Hour, Aluko explains:
“He’s aware of just how much he’s doing in the women’s game. I think he should be aware of that. 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.”
As her opinions began to resurface, TNT sports presenter Laura Woods described Aluko’s words as “damaging” on X, explaining women-only pundits would only set the game backwards. She writes:
“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.”
So, with this conversation causing a stir, should women be the face of men’s football?
Make way for the girls
You cannot overlook the strides Eni Aluko has made for the game, for equality, and for punditry more broadly. She has helped pave the way for the likes of Alex Scott, Fara Williams, Karen Carney and Steph Houghton. The former England women’s national football team, Chelsea F.C. Women and Juventus FC Women forward boasts an impressive record: 105 caps and 33 goals for England, appearances at five major international tournaments, four FA Cup triumphs, three Women’s Super League titles, as well as Serie A and Coppa Italia medals.
More women are entering the men’s football-sphere, and backlash can follow suit. Former England and Manchester City midfielder Joey Barton, for example, attacked Aluko and fellow female broadcaster Lucy Ward on X. He, now sentenced to six months in prison for “grossly offensive” comments, compared the women to the “Fred and Rose West of football commentary”, a reference to serial killers Fred West and Rose West.
In 2018, Alex Scott became the first female pundit for the BBC at both a Men’s World Cup and on Sky Sports’ Super Sunday. Another woman making history, she has spoken on numerous occasions about the importance of women being involved across the men’s game. She says:
“To all the women in football, in front of the camera, behind it, the players on the pitch, to everyone that attends games, keep being the role models that you continue to be. To all those young girls that are told no you can’t, football is a better place with us all in it.”
Since her first appearance as a pundit for the men’s game, Scott explains “there are so many who have come through the door since then, and that makes me so proud,” in an interview with ELLE magazine. She adds:
“All those haters can keep on hating, because look at the change that we’ve made within the space of just a few years.”
Joined by a growing group of former England players, Scott looks toward a continuing future of women on our screens, women on our pitches and women receiving equality across any industry:
“Young boys in the playground are seeing girls playing football at school, watching the Lionesses on TV, wearing their shirts, and seeing it as normal. That’s how it should be,” she says.
Not only is it vital that women and girls are given equal opportunities to play football, but their knowledge and expertise should also be recognised and shared across both the women’s and men’s game. The former England women’s national football team and Arsenal W.F.C. player concludes:
“It’s about changing the thought process of the next generation, so there is no prejudice towards any women across any industry.”
Making a mark
It is not only pundits who can make a difference in the game. Dr Pippa Grange also left her mark on Gareth Southgate’s England national football team between 2017 and 2019 as team psychologist. Described as an “amazing person” by England midfielder Dele Alli, Grange played a key role as head of people and team development, helping to shape the squad’s culture and mindset.
Now the focus of the much-loved theatre production Dear England, Grange has spoken openly about her experiences working within the male-dominated world of professional football:
“[It] is a constant navigation for everyone. I have no interest in being one of the lads and I don’t quite fit in the ‘nurturing mother figure’ category in terms of the leadership work I do. I would be professionally ineffective if I remained in the background, psychologically safe with minimal voice, and I am not here to be the centre of attention as some form of entertainment. I don’t want to be completely separate because that would make me inaccessible and probably be a lonely place to operate from.”
From punditry to psychology, women are bringing a fresh set of faces and perspectives to the football scene. Watch this space — and make some room. It’s time.
