Eni Aluko releases statement in response to Laura Woods amid backlash over Ian Wright and punditry rant

Eni Aluko has released a statement responding to Laura Woods after her latest outburst about male pundits covering women’s football.

The former Lioness has reignited the debate by commenting on the punditry choices for the Women’s Euros final last summer.

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Aluko questioned why she and Fara Williams, who earned a record 172 caps for England, were not chosen by either the BBC or ITV.

She highlighted how ex-Premier League stars Ian Wright and Nedum Onuoha took two of the six available pundit spots as men.

It comes almost a year after Aluko claimed that Wright’s advocacy for the rise of women’s football has been holding female pundits back.

Aluko’s comments have sparked debate on social media, with former talkSPORT host Laura Woods warning against gatekeeping the sport.

And in a statement shared to talkSPORT, Aluko has issued a response to Woods.

Aluko’s statement after Woods comments

“I respect Laura’s opinion as I have always done. For eleven years I have worked alongside the likes of Laura and all those considered the best pundits in the game. It’s therefore clear I was considered one of the best too if I was part of the same punditry team.” she said.

“No one who has ever hired me as a pundit has said I wasn’t good enough or did not have all the attributes Laura referred to. Quite the contrary. I believe that women’s football should prioritise women as the faces of the sport – it’s as simple as that.

“I think women should be the dominant force in the women’s game in the same way that men are the dominant force in the men’s game. That means men should play more of a supporting role.

“No one is saying any man should be excluded but the roles do need to be defined. That’s all I’m saying – and people are quite free to disagree whilst respecting my right to an opinion too.”

Aluko will appear live on talkSPORT on Tuesday morning during the White and Jordan show.

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talkSPORT reaction to Aluko

Shebahn Aherne, who co-hosts our women’s football show The Kick Back, claimed that Aluko has been hypocritical.

“We had a really healthy chat about this in the office this morning,” she said on the Weekend Sports Breakfast show.

“And one of our male producers pointed out, ‘Well she’s got a point, she played 102 [105] times for England, so why in the final is she put to the stands?'”

Tony Cascarino remarked: “But there’s loads of people who have had loads of caps who are sitting in stands not working, there’s lots of them people.”

Aherne then added: “But also, I think where Eni has to realise that the hypocrisy is of a whole new level now.

“Because I’ve not seen people point out her lack of game time in the Premier League.

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“Or her lack of game time playing for England men when she was chosen to do punditry at the men’s World Cup and in the men’s Premier League.

“So how come now you’re calling out Ian Wright and Nedum Onuoha for not having played for England Women or put on the Lioness shirt, when you didn’t do it for the men’s Premier League, and you didn’t do it for the men’s World Cup.

“And you’re looking for diversity in football? Well that’s so hypocritical it blows my tiny, little mind.”