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Eni Aluko apologises to Ian Wright for suggesting he is ‘blocking’ female pundits in women’s football
Eni Aluko says he was ‘wrong’ to reference Ian Wright in her verdict of male pundits who work in the women’s game (Getty) Eni Aluko has issued an apology to Ian Wright after suggesting that he was blocking female pundits from getting broadcast work in women’s football. Aluko, who has worked several times alongside Wright for ITV’s coverage of the Lionesses, said this week that the former Arsenal and England striker is ‘dominating’ the women’s game. The 38-year-old, who made history when she became the first woman to appear on BBC Match of the Day as a pundit in 2014, also said that Wright needed to ‘be aware’ of the amount of punditry work he was doing in the sport. ‘What we don’t want is a repeat dominance of men in the women’s game, as broadcasters, as coaches, earning more money than women when we can’t do the same in the men’s game,’ Aluko said in an interview with BBC’s Woman’s Hour. ‘I would never, ever be able to usurp Gary Neville or Jamie Carragher, these are guys who have done it for a long time, they are brilliant broadcasters, they rightly dominate their sport. I think the same should apply in the women’s game. Get personalised updates on Arsenal everyday Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we’ll send you so we can get football news tailored to you. ‘I’ve worked with Ian a long time and, you know, I think he’s a brilliant broadcaster but I think he’s aware of just how much he’s doing in the women’s game. I think he should be aware of that. Eni Aluko says Ian Wright needed to ‘be aware’ of the amount of work he was taking in women’s football (Getty) ‘The fact of the matter is, as I said, there is a limited amount of spaces available. If we had a situation where there was an equal opportunity in the men’s game for broadcasters and coaches that there is in the women’s game, it’s a free for all. ‘But that’s not the case. I can’t dominate the men’s game in the way that, you know, you used Ian as an example, Ian is dominating the women’s game.’ Aluko’s comments about Wright have attracted criticism as the former Arsenal striker has been a major advocate of the women’s game for several years. It has also emerged that Wright has been paying £1,700 a month to fund a Kayleigh McDonald’s rehab after she suffered an ACL injury while playing for Stoke City last year. Wright has also made a £15,000 donation towards training courses to help increase the number of female grassroots coaches. Ian Wright has been a major advocate of the women’s game (Getty) Aluko now says she was ‘wrong’ to include Wright in her assessment of male pundits working in the women’s game. ‘Ian Wright is a brilliant broadcaster and role model whose support for the women’s game has been significant,’ Aluko said. ‘In my interview with Woman’s Hour this week, I was trying to make a broader point about the limited opportunities for women in football – whether that’s in coaching, broadcasting or commercial spaces – and the importance of creating more space for women to thrive on and off the pitch. ‘But it was wrong for lan’s name to be raised in that conversation, and for that I sincerely apologise. ‘I’ve known and worked with lan for many years and have nothing but love and respect for him.’ For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Eni Aluko has issued an apology to Ian Wright after suggesting that he was blocking female pundits from getting broadcast work in women’s football.
Aluko, who has worked several times alongside Wright for ITV’s coverage of the Lionesses, said this week that the former Arsenal and England striker is ‘dominating’ the women’s game.
The 38-year-old, who made history when she became the first woman to appear on BBC Match of the Day as a pundit in 2014, also said that Wright needed to ‘be aware’ of the amount of punditry work he was doing in the sport.
‘What we don’t want is a repeat dominance of men in the women’s game, as broadcasters, as coaches, earning more money than women when we can’t do the same in the men’s game,’ Aluko said in an interview with BBC’s Woman’s Hour.
‘I would never, ever be able to usurp Gary Neville or Jamie Carragher, these are guys who have done it for a long time, they are brilliant broadcasters, they rightly dominate their sport. I think the same should apply in the women’s game.
Get personalised updates on Arsenal everyday
Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we’ll send you so we can get football news tailored to you.
‘I’ve worked with Ian a long time and, you know, I think he’s a brilliant broadcaster but I think he’s aware of just how much he’s doing in the women’s game. I think he should be aware of that.
‘The fact of the matter is, as I said, there is a limited amount of spaces available. If we had a situation where there was an equal opportunity in the men’s game for broadcasters and coaches that there is in the women’s game, it’s a free for all.
‘But that’s not the case. I can’t dominate the men’s game in the way that, you know, you used Ian as an example, Ian is dominating the women’s game.’
Aluko’s comments about Wright have attracted criticism as the former Arsenal striker has been a major advocate of the women’s game for several years.
It has also emerged that Wright has been paying £1,700 a month to fund a Kayleigh McDonald’s rehab after she suffered an ACL injury while playing for Stoke City last year.
Wright has also made a £15,000 donation towards training courses to help increase the number of female grassroots coaches.
Aluko now says she was ‘wrong’ to include Wright in her assessment of male pundits working in the women’s game.
‘Ian Wright is a brilliant broadcaster and role model whose support for the women’s game has been significant,’ Aluko said.
‘In my interview with Woman’s Hour this week, I was trying to make a broader point about the limited opportunities for women in football – whether that’s in coaching, broadcasting or commercial spaces – and the importance of creating more space for women to thrive on and off the pitch.
‘But it was wrong for lan’s name to be raised in that conversation, and for that I sincerely apologise.
‘I’ve known and worked with lan for many years and have nothing but love and respect for him.’
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
