Lionesses trio among the women's football stars to turn on Eni Aluko and show support for Ian Wright after he was accused of 'blocking' opportunities in the sport

Daily Mail​

28-04-2025

A growing number of prominent figures in women's football have shown their support for Ian Wright after he stated he 'can't accept' Eni Aluko's apology following her claims that he is 'blocking' opportunities for women in the sport.
Aluko's views on Wright were made during an appearance on Radio Four's Women's Hour on last Wednesday, in which she also claimed her punditry career had been damaged by ex-Manchester City midfielder Joey Barton, who she's suing for libel, after he dubbed her a 'race card player' on social media in January last year.
She had also said that ITV continuing to employ Wright to cover the women's game hampered the chances of female pundits coming into the industry. Aluko issued an apology to Wright last week, which the Arsenal legend subsequently rejected in a social media post.
In the days that have followed, a number of players - many of them current or former Arsenal stars - have liked the post in an indication of their support for his message.
Among them include, Lionesses stars Lauren Hemp, Alessia Russo and Mary Earps, Gunners quartet Katie McCabe, Daphne van Domselaar, Lotte Wubben-Moy and Katie Reid, as well as former north London favourite Cloe Lacasse.
In his impassioned response to Aluko's accusations, Wright said: 'I have to talk about this week and what's going on, I don't want to endlessly be asked about it.
'I've got to say, I'm very disappointed about what Eni has said, she knows how I've helped her, supported her publicly, and I know the previous conversations she's had with me and my management.
'I've seen the apology on social media, but I can't accept it, but I also want to move on. For anyone watching this, I really don't need any further social commentary directed on any of this.
'The thing about where the women's game is, it isn't about me - it has to be about the collective.
'Because of the past, we know the men blocked the women's game for 50 years, because of the past we know the game has serious systemic challenges, and it's going to take everyone to help fixes.
'So for me, I always give back to the game, it's given me so much.
'It's never bothered me about who's playing the game, as long as they're playing the game. if you know my story you'll know how much football means to me.
'We are the country that invented modern football, so we have a responsibility, to lead the way in women's football
'We men are the ones that banned women's football for 50 years, so we have to hold that one. I need to say to everyone who has spoken about it publicly and showed love and support, I say thank you. It's something I do not take for granted.'
In the days that have followed, a number of players - many of them current or former Arsenal stars - have liked the post in an indication of their support for his message
Wright also thanked Stoke forward Kayleigh McDonald, who revealed after Aluko's comments that the Arsenal legend has been funding her recovery following an ACL injury.
Stoke were not paying for McDonald's treatment and she set up a GoFundMe page. The club then backtracked and according to the report, before she was then told that funding would be withdrawn.
Wright is then said to have paid the £1,700-a-month McDonald needed for rehab, in addition to a sports lawyer to help advocate for her.
Aluko had issued an apology on Instagram last Friday morning, writing: 'lan Wright is a brilliant broadcaster and role model whose support for the women's game has been significant.
'In my interview with Woman's Hour this week, I was trying to make a broader point about the limited opportunities for women in football - whether that's in coaching, broadcasting or commercial spaces - and the importance of creating more space for women to thrive on and off the pitch.
'But it was wrong for lan's name to be raised in that conversation, and for that I sincerely apologise. I've known and worked with lan for many years and have nothing but love and respect for him'.
During her appearance on the Radio Four show, Aluko was asked about the presence of male pundits within the women's game and, specifically, Ian Wright.
Aluko, who won 105 England caps, had said: '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 is wrong for Wright to be covering women's football, 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.'
Mail Sport reported on last Thursday how Aluko faces potentially being axed by ITV following her comments.
Insiders said the former England international's views have left bosses both angry and bemused given the broadcaster's form for sending female-heavy teams to cover major international tournaments including the Euros and the World Cup.
Her outburst has sparked internal conversations within ITV regarding her future, with senior figures seriously debating whether to continue their association with the ex-Chelsea striker.