Has Eni Aluko ever considered that perhaps her commentary just isn't hitting the mark?
Once again, Eni Aluko has found herself at the center of a considerable storm. This time, the 38-year-old has ruffled quite a few feathers within the football world due to her recent remarks concerning male pundits covering women's football.
It's not the first time Aluko has sparked debate. Last year, the former England Lioness stirred the pot by suggesting that Ian Wright was "blocking opportunities" for female pundits by appearing on broadcasts of women's matches. This was particularly noteworthy given Wright's consistent and vocal support for the women's game. The reaction was so significant that ITV, one of the broadcasters, even issued a statement firmly backing Wright, hailing him as an "ally," an "incredible advocate," and "one of the UK's most respected and much-loved footballers and sporting broadcasters."
But here's where it gets controversial... Fast forward to the present, and Aluko has once again voiced her opinions, seemingly implying that following their public disagreement last year, Wright should have ceded some of his punditry roles to her. Despite offering an apology to Wright after her initial comments, he reportedly did not accept it, and the tension between them appears to persist nearly a year later.
More recently, during a podcast appearance, Aluko also questioned the BBC's choice to include Nedum Onuoha in their punditry team for the Lionesses' Euro 2025 final victory against Spain last July. She expressed her bewilderment, stating: "Last year, at the Women’s Lionesses final, I’m sat in the stands, I wasn’t on ITV for the final, Fara Williams was sat next to me. Fara Williams has 172 caps for England, something ridiculous, I think she’s the most-capped player, she’s sat in the stands."
She continued, highlighting the perceived disparity: "The two broadcasters that had the rights for the game – ITV and BBC – on BBC you’ve got Ellen White, Steph Houghton and Nedum Onuoha, no offence to Nedum Onuoha, nothing against him, I don’t know whether he played for England or not, but you’re on the main panel for the final for England Women. Let’s go over to ITV, I’m in the stands with 105 caps, so you’ve got two women, between us we’ve got 277 caps (172 + 105), something ridiculous, you turn over to ITV and it’s Ian Wright, Emma Hayes and Kaz Carney. So out of six punditry spots, two have gone to men. Meanwhile you’ve got 277 caps, whatever it is, sitting in the stands."
Aluko further elaborated on her point, noting her own experience: "I’ve just told you I’ve never done a final. I’m probably going to struggle to think of any women, a female pundit, who has done a men’s major final as a pundit. I’m not talking about presenters, people like to conflate the two, it’s a different role, it’s like comparing a forward and a defender, it’s different jobs, I’m talking about as a pundit, it doesn’t happen, so something is not right there because I’m saying this is still quite new where you’re watching women’s finals on TV, why are people like me and Fara not there?"
And this is the part most people miss... What Aluko seems to be overlooking is that her own punditry might not be as impactful as she believes. While it may sound harsh, the 38-year-old has made several notable errors over time, including during that very podcast.
Firstly, if one is to be critical, thorough research is essential. She openly admitted to being unsure if Onuoha had ever played for England (he hadn't). Imagine the implications if he had! This uncertainty was a significant misstep. Furthermore, Aluko claimed she struggles to recall any female pundit covering a major men's final. Had she tuned into TNT Sports for last season's Champions League coverage, she would have seen her former England teammate, Karen Carney, analyzing the final between Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan alongside Rio Ferdinand and Owen Hargreaves.
Even basic arithmetic seems to be a challenge. Aluko stated Fara Williams has 170 caps, when the actual number is 172. She then calculated that 170 international appearances plus her own 105 equals 290. In reality, it's 277 (assuming Williams had 170 caps). Numbers have consistently posed a problem for her. During the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, she discussed Richarlison, stating he had scored 19 goals in 40 matches, remarking, "About one a game." The football community was quick to point out the mathematical inaccuracy.
Aluko herself later joked about the incident, but the impact of such errors is undeniable. There have been other questionable statements as well. In the summer of 2023, she went viral for suggesting that Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola might have been discussing transfer bids for Declan Rice with each other. This is quite contrary to how football operates, as rival managers typically maintain secrecy regarding their transfer targets to gain a competitive edge. It's even more perplexing to imagine Arteta and Guardiola, given their intense rivalry for major trophies, confiding in each other about potential signings. The competition between Arsenal and Manchester City has intensified significantly, with Arsenal emerging as a serious challenger to City's dominance.
As Simon Jordan aptly put it on talkSPORT: "I don’t think that she’s particularly enlightening, illuminating, engaging or charismatic." Aluko's commentary has long been a source of frustration for football fans, and with her latest pronouncements, sympathy is likely to be in short supply.
What do you think? Is Eni Aluko's criticism of male pundits fair, or is she overlooking her own shortcomings as a commentator? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
