Eni Aluko is wrong to criticise Ian Wright, he cares – women’s football is lucky to have him
WOMEN’S FOOTBALL needs more people like Ian Wright.
In a world where the “nobody cares” narrative is still all too common, the Arsenal legend remains a huge advocate for the game both on and off our TV screens.
So I was quite surprised to see that former England Lioness Eni Aluko accused him of “dominating” punditry in women’s football earlier this week.
Speaking on Radio 4 Woman’s Hour, she explained: “I’ve worked with Ian a long time and 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, 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.”
Ex-forward Aluko later continued: “Men need to be aware that you’re in a growing sport, a growing sport for women, and we haven’t always had these opportunities, and so it’s about the awareness and supporting other women through that pathway.”
When it comes to women in football, it would be difficult to find anyone more supportive than Ian Wright.
The much-loved former England star has invested both time and money into building up the game.
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And he is not just doing the bare minimum.
The Telegraph revealed on Wednesday that Wright is personally covering the cost of rehab (around £1,700-a-month) for a semi-professional Stoke player who ruptured her ACL in March last year.
Kayleigh McDonald turned to social media for help when her club refused to pay for surgery in the wake of the incident.
Stoke eventually backtracked – largely due to Wright.
The 61-year-old paid for a sports lawyer to represent the defender and make sure that she received the support she needed.
He cares.
Wright has also committed to increasing the number of female coaches at grassroots level by teaming up with Barclays to create the Ian Wright Coaching Fund.
In 2023 he donated £15,000 to pay for 664 women to attend a Level One training course.
He cares.
There is no doubt that Euro 2022 was a turning point for women’s football in England – and from a broadcasting perspective, Wright was at the forefront of it.
The Arsenal icon repeatedly championed the prospect of more girls having access to the sport, insisting they deserve the same opportunities that boys have.
He cares.
And now, when many of his colleagues seemingly don’t want to, he keeps the conversation going in a bid to grow the women’s game even more.
The question is – why would someone who cares so much be “blocking” opportunities for others?
Having followed the game for so long, Wright clearly knows what he is talking about.
If you ask me, that’s surely the No1 priority when it comes to hiring a pundit.
What does it matter if he’s not a woman?
Last year, the ITV pundit started a new women’s football podcast called ‘Crossways’ with Manchester City legend Steph Houghton.
The insight that he and Houghton give is fascinating and fresh, a unique perspective on the WSL and international football.
Speaking of England’s top tier, it would be fair to say that coverage is dominated by women already.
The likes of Houghton, Ellen White, Anita Asante, Izzy Christiansen, Karen Carney, Jen Beattie and Courtney Sweetman-Kirk feature on coverage across the BBC and Sky Sports.
Meanwhile, Wright only covers England games on TV as a pundit for ITV Sport.
His involvement is certainly not “blocking” opportunities for women.
It’s a great thing that one of the most universally beloved figures in English football is an advocate for the sport.
Ian Wright? We’re lucky to have him.