There’s an argument that no man has done more to push women’s football positively in the UK than Ian Wright, but somehow Eni Aluko still has a problem with it, because she thinks he’s blocking opportunities for female pundits to discuss the game instead.

Former England and Chelsea player Aluko, 38, told Radio 4:

‘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, 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.’

When asked to clarify if she thinks it’s wrong for Ian Wright, 61, to be at the forefront of women’s football coverage, Aluko added:

‘I don’t know about wrong, but I think we need to be conscious and we need to make sure that women are not being blocked from having a pathway into broadcasting in the women’s game.

‘It’s still new, it’s still growing. There’s a finite amount of opportunities and I think that men need to be aware of that.

‘Men need to be aware that, you know, 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.’

It’s crazy that she doesn’t see the other side of it: that Ian Wright’s involvement in the women’s game has prompted a lot more people to pay attention to it in the first place. Not only is he a great pundit who brings a lot of eyeballs to women’s football, he’s also a great guy.

In fact Ian Wright is currently paying £1,700 a month of his own cash for the ACL rehab of a Stoke City women’s player because the club withdrew funding. The guy’s an absolute legend.

It’s also pretty ironic considering that there’s no shortage of women’s pundits in the men’s game currently. No one has a problem with that, so why is Eni Aluko taking issue with it when it’s the other way around? Especially when it comes to a legendary player who is one of the biggest advocates of the women’s game in the first place.

Stick to beefing Joey Barton, IMO.