Right, putting myself up for a right slagging off here. Overall, they're not bad and improving. Statement of fact, not sexist or patronising. I quite like Alex Scott plus others and Gabby Logan is a good anchor on most sports. However, one really got up my nose tonight and she has history of being self righteous and obnoxious in the past. Eni Aloku. This concerns the Wales and England captains being told they would be sanctioned by FIFA if they wore captain's armbands supporting the One Love movement. Probably booked as soon as they went on the pitch. Personally I don't care either way if they wore them or not. However, Aloku, an ex footballer, stated on ITV that they should have worn the bands and taken the bookings. How stupid is that? In World Cup Finals, booked at 0.01 seconds and if booked again, sent off and suspended. Taking one for the team? Which team? It would also have limited their performance for fear of getting another booking. As Bale got a yellow later he would also have got a red and been out of the Iran game Certainly FIFA are a bunch of self serving nincompoops by ruling out the bands at the last minute plus other monumental cock ups but her comment is naive at best and absurd at worst. As with her past actions it appears to me that she is just making outlandish comments to promote herself. That being the case she should sign up for Talkshite. By way of contrast I have just watched a discussion on this on Newsnight. Former rugby ref Nigel Owens supported the movement, as expected, but fully understood why the nations/captains backed down. He rightly pointed out that FIFA's decision actually gave the movement more international publicity than if they had just quietly let it go. However FIFA would not have wanted to disrespect their World Cup hosts. Hopefully Ms. Aloku will not be gracing our screens again any time soon.
Have to say, putting the "controversy" to one side (Ms Aluko can talk the talk but it's easy when you are out of the game to do so), I too think Alex Scott is decent, I like Gabby and don't mind Sue Smith. However, I really can't stick Fara Williams as she's like a dull, female Danny Murphy or (off the top of my head) Jacqui Oatley as her voice gets so shrill at times when commentating that it just grates on me. Even Mrs Brizzle can't stick it...
Not sure why there was a french woman footballer on the panel for the Belgium game. Are the Beeb that desperate to bring any Tom, Dick or in her case Harriet onto the gravy train already packed with ‘journeypeople’ (to be woke for a second) telling us what we already know
There are a number of female commentators / pundits who know their stuff and come across well. In rugby, Sarra Elgan, daughter of Neath, Wales and British Lions wing Elgan Rees, wife of Llanelli and Ireland flanker Simon Easterby, is as good a pundit as you'll get. Equally there are a number of male pundits who may or may not know their stuff, but are dire to listen to. Of the more recent retirees, I quite enjoy listening to Jermain Jenas. Aluko always seems ok and is easy on the ear unlike some. There will be personal opinions on various things. Wasn't it Keane said Kane and Bale should have worn the armband, taken the yellow and moved on? Im all for qualified people doing a job, not playing the numbers game. My one gripe with women comentators is how squeeky their voices get during exciting passages of a game. The same with women's sport in general. High pitched support. My personal preference is a bass, guttural roar.
As was Aluko. She is a former footballer and should know better. See my original post. She is well known for stirring the pot and upsetting people both in and out of the game. If Kane and Bale had taken the yellows for wearing the band they would have put the performance of their teams at risk. Keane is a prize prick anyway. Souness put him back in his box earlier in the tournament. I can't be arsed to check back but didn't Bale get a yellow v USA anyway. Second yellow and off. Then suspended from the Iran game. With hindsight perhaps not a bad thing.......
There’s a clip going round showing Aluko doing a Diane Abbott: “Richarloson.... he’s got 19 goals in 41 games...do the maths- it’s one goal a game.”
As bad as Hartson. iTV found a barrell with a false bottom, removed it and went to a new low. Takes herself far too seriously.
Beats me why we need pundits at all. Generally the commentators do a reasonable job and all the pundits bring is a selection of the usual clichés and sound bites. Nothing an average punter couldn't figure for themselves. Seems to me that the "punditry" is just a platform for in jokes and enhancing their standing of celebrity. And this is regardless of gender. Eye watering amounts of money being made by people that have already made a fortune from the game.
Very true Clingo and then not adding much in their "after life". In saying that BBC are a cut above most of the ITV muppets - Souness excepted.
Joe Cole is as bad as they come. You listen to him for 5 minutes, loads of words come out of his mouth and he's said nothing.
