[Politics] Alec Scott

[Machiavelli]

Correct I've never paid the slightest attention to women's football. Is that a crime? I don't pay the slightest attention to most sports other than Football and Cricket either. I wouldn't be able to tell you who Lewis Hamilton drives for as no interest in F1. I don't know who the fly half is for Wasps.

When have I said watching should be segregated by sex? Not once and you know why? Because I don't think that. You can over analyse and try and catch me out all you like but my stance is clear I want to see ex and current male professional players and managers as pundits, they've played and managed to that level. If Alex Scott had played upfront for the Arsenal men's team and had formed a prolific partnership with Thierry Henry I would be interested in her views.

You didn't need to say it directly but, if only ex-top players/managers (male ones at that) are allowed to be pundits (which is what you want), then that by definition excludes women from doing so. And that constitutes segregation.by sex.

 

[Stato]

Stato: Each to their own mate. It's not for me however, but yeah fair points you made though given it's popularity, I guess I see it in the same way as birds football......no interest.

I don't care if you watch it. My only problem was with your description of it. You're right about Harry Potter though. That is for kids.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

How an earth does me saying I only want current or ex men as pundits on the men's game make me a misogynist? For the record I'm not a misogynist, I have deep love and respect for some women and have many women friends and colleagues.

The point I'm making is women's football is poor quality and whilst Carney has won caps / trophies it's at a standard way below the men's game therefore to me she has no credibility, I want to hear the views of Carragher, Neville, Ferdinand, Souness, guys who have played the game to a high level. Let Carney and Scott etc be pundits on the WSL.

Answer me this then: Why aren't lower league players ever pundits on Super Sunday or MNF?

You mean like League One clogger Adam Virgo, who regularly commentates on Ligue 1 and the Bundelsiga?

 

[rippleman]

How an earth does me saying I only want current or ex men as pundits on the men's game make me a misogynist? For the record I'm not a misogynist, I have deep love and respect for some women and have many women friends and colleagues.

The point I'm making is women's football is poor quality and whilst Carney has won caps / trophies it's at a standard way below the men's game therefore to me she has no credibility, I want to hear the views of Carragher, Neville, Ferdinand, Souness, guys who have played the game to a high level. Let Carney and Scott etc be pundits on the WSL.

Answer me this then: Why aren't lower league players ever pundits on Super Sunday or MNF?

Glen Murray when at Watford springs instantly to mind.

But if you don't get womens sport, you don't get it. Nothing I say will change your mind I'm guessing.

Female pundits / commentators are here to stay. Women do the job fantastically well on cricket and rugby already.

Are you happy that refs, assistant refs officiate in the PL without ever having played the game professionally at all? Where's the same outcry there?

 

[Lower West Stander]

No issue at all with female pundits. Some are are good some are not. Like male pundits....Just because someone has played football at a high level doesn't mean they will be any good in the media, male or female. Its a bit like saying all top footballers will become great managers. Many top managers weren't top players (Ferguson, Wenger, Klopp etc).

My issue with Alex Scott is that she is rubbish and her ever increasing profile is due to cultural diversity rather than the fact as to whether she is any good at her job. Surely whatever the views of modern society, that can't be right. You appoint the best person for any job rather than use it as a box ticking exercise.

 

[Larry Boyd]

I don't care if you watch it. My only problem was with your description of it. You're right about Harry Potter though. That is for kids.

Hence my 'fair points' post.

 

[Larry Boyd]

You mean like League One clogger Adam Virgo, who regularly commentates on Ligue 1 and the Bundelsiga?

I alluded to Super Sunday and MNF.

 

[Badger Boy]

Hence my 'fair points' post.

What was your previous username?

 

[dazzer6666]

Meanwhile in Iran..............

https://twitter.com/FootyAccums/status/1382603929461084162?s=20

Iranian state TV cut away from live coverage of the Tottenham vs. Manchester United game more than a hundred times to avoid showing female assistant referee Sian Massey-Ellis.

 

[Larry Boyd]

You didn't need to say it directly but, if only ex-top players/managers (male ones at that) are allowed to be pundits (which is what you want), then that by definition excludes women from doing so. And that constitutes segregation.by sex.

If only having male pundits constitutes 'segregation by sex' then bring it on. Is it really that much of a problem me wanting men as pundits on men's football as they've played the game to that level. Let Alex Scott et all be pundits on the WSL, it can't be a bad gig to have given 'the rise in popularity of women's football'.

 

[Larry Boyd]

What was your previous username?

Why you ask that?

 

[Greg Bobkin]

I see the conversation has veered off to pundits, which is nothing to do with Alex Scott getting the FF gig.

A presenter is a very different job – ideally one where your opinions or your experience isn't called into question. Given that AS has a number of presenting jobs, I'm guessing that she's pretty good at it – or, at least appreciated by the BBC.

However, getting the FF gig would – I would expect mean that she wouldn't be doing punditry any more, because that would be a bit weird – you can't be the face of one programme and then on the other side of the desk for others. I remember Gary Lineker started out as a MoTD pundit before getting the main job and hasn't – as far as I'm aware – been used as a pundit anywhere since. Especially with the BT Sport stuff he does.

If that's the case, the precious 'men commenting on men's football' brigade won't have to worry about her giving her opinions.

On another matter, I don't recall the OUTRAGE when Gabby Logan was announced as a presenter on men's football programmes. And SHE hasn't even kicked a ball in professional football. Does she qualify because her old man used to play?

There's clearly a difference, but I can't qWHITE put my finger on it...

 

[hans kraay fan club]

I see the conversation has veered off to pundits, which is nothing to do with Alex Scott getting the FF gig.

A presenter is a very different job – ideally one where your opinions or your experience isn't called into question. Given that AS has a number of presenting jobs, I'm guessing that she's pretty good at it – or, at least appreciated by the BBC.

However, getting the FF gig would – I would expect mean that she wouldn't be doing punditry any more, because that would be a bit weird – you can't be the face of one programme and then on the other side of the desk for others. I remember Gary Lineker started out as a MoTD pundit before getting the main job and hasn't – as far as I'm aware – been used as a pundit anywhere since. Especially with the BT Sport stuff he does.

If that's the case, the precious 'men commenting on men's football' brigade won't have to worry about her giving her opinions.

On another matter, I don't recall the OUTRAGE when Gabby Logan was announced as a presenter on men's football programmes. And SHE hasn't even kicked a ball in professional football. Does she qualify because her old man used to play?

There's clearly a difference, but I can't qWHITE put my finger on it...

Indeed.

None of these gammon pricks seem to be quite so incensed with Gabby Logan, or Laura Woods, or Hayley McQueen, or Lindsey Hipgrave, or Michelle Owen, or Bianca Westwood, or....

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I see the conversation has veered off to pundits, which is nothing to do with Alex Scott getting the FF gig.

A presenter is a very different job – ideally one where your opinions or your experience isn't called into question. Given that AS has a number of presenting jobs, I'm guessing that she's pretty good at it – or, at least appreciated by the BBC.

However, getting the FF gig would – I would expect mean that she wouldn't be doing punditry any more, because that would be a bit weird – you can't be the face of one programme and then on the other side of the desk for others. I remember Gary Lineker started out as a MoTD pundit before getting the main job and hasn't – as far as I'm aware – been used as a pundit anywhere since. Especially with the BT Sport stuff he does.

If that's the case, the precious 'men commenting on men's football' brigade won't have to worry about her giving her opinions.

On another matter, I don't recall the OUTRAGE when Gabby Logan was announced as a presenter on men's football programmes. And SHE hasn't even kicked a ball in professional football. Does she qualify because her old man used to play?

There's clearly a difference, but I can't qWHITE put my finger on it...

This.

 

[Stato]

How about someone with 140 England caps AND a Sports Journalism degree? They'd be a fantastic choice, no?

You have to respect someone who wanted to work in a business and so got herself qualified to do it. When watching Scott on TV I also get the impression that she comes to games a lot more prepared than some of her counterparts. Some of them seem to think that research, or even learning how to pronounce a player's name correctly is beneath them. I should be clear that my criticisms are of the punditry hegemony, not of any one individual involved in it. I could happily put up with the worst of them, if there was something to leaven the endless pro-talk. Taking the view that any new blood that shakes them up a bit is good, I'd be completely in favour of Scott and all of her former WPSL colleagues.

TMS was such a joy for years because it mixed players with presenters and in Arlott's case, even poets. They spoke like friends, there was no hierarchy and nobody tried to pull rank (Except for Boycott who was constantly ridiculed for doing so). You could quite happily listen and enjoy without having the slightest interest in cricket. You certainly couldn't say the same for Shearer and Lineker's dreary golf club banter on MotD.

 

[Larry Boyd]

Indeed.

None of these gammon pricks seem to be quite so incensed with Gabby Logan, or Laura Woods, or Hayley McQueen, or Lindsey Hipgrave, or Michelle Owen, or Bianca Westwood, or....

Ah so if you disagree with people on here they are a 'gammon' and a 'prick' . Why do you resort to insults if you don't agree with others on here?

 

[Sheebo]

Alec is a decent enough pundit. No need to scrutinise her or bring her sex into it as that’s sexist

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

If only having male pundits constitutes 'segregation by sex' then bring it on. Is it really that much of a problem me wanting men as pundits on men's football as they've played the game to that level. Let Alex Scott et all be pundits on the WSL, it can't be a bad gig to have given 'the rise in popularity of women's football'.

All well and good but what about international tournaments? Do you ship in a load of Germans or French to cover the business end of World Cups and Euros? Or will you stick with the English chokers even though they have never played at that level?

 

[albionalex]

If only having male pundits constitutes 'segregation by sex' then bring it on. Is it really that much of a problem me wanting men as pundits on men's football as they've played the game to that level. Let Alex Scott et all be pundits on the WSL, it can't be a bad gig to have given 'the rise in popularity of women's football'.

What is your opinion of Raphael Honigstein, the top German pundit, who has never played even semi-professional football?

 

[Larry Boyd]

All well and good but what about international tournaments? Do you ship in a load of Germans or French to cover the business end of World Cups and Euros? Or will you stick with the English chokers even though they have never played at that level?

Never played at the business end of a WC or Euros? My definition of business end would be QF onwards (I acknowledge that's only my defintion) so that would allow a plethora of current and ex male players to be pundits. You could have for example Dele Ali on the panel as a player who has played in a WC semi final.