Sports
Simon Jordan and Eni Aluko Involved in Heated Live Radio Interview
Coiled-up talkSPORT presenter Simon Jordan destroyed Eni Aluko to her face during an explosive live radio segment on Tuesday morning. In an interview with BBC’s Woman’s Hour last April, Aluko accused Ian Wright of “blocking” opportunities for female broadcasters on television and said the former Arsenal and England striker is “dominating” the women’s game.
To the shock of many, she reignited that feud this week by doubling down on her criticism, despite having previously apologised for her comments. She slammed the ITV and BBC’s choice of pundits for England’s Euro 2025 final last summer, while also promoting herself as a deserving candidate, citing her achievements (such as her 102 England caps) as evidence that she should have been chosen over others, like Wrighty and Nedum Onuoha.
Aluko’s comments were slammed by former colleague Laura Woods, who tweeted that “caps don’t win automatic work” and said that her thinking will “drag women’s sport backwards” and “drag women’s punditry in all forms of the game backwards”.
Simon Jordan Launches Explosive Criticism of Eni Aluko
“The sheer weight of self-entitlement you seem to have would sink the titanic.” Those were the brutal words used by the former Crystal Palace owner when given an opportunity to give his opinion on the Aluko-Wrighty drama. “I think we live in a society where people don’t have the experience and substance, don’t know what they’re talking about [and are] masquerading as experts,” Jordan continued.
“With all due respect to women in men’s football, I think they have zero expertise in men’s football. I think they can talk about tactics, but the two games are vastly different – the speed, the scale, the pressure, the physicality. They are vastly different games. I’ve encountered Eni in short form and long form, we had a conversation about the commerciality of football which I thought Eni talked with no commercial sense.”
“That is my opinion, she probably disagrees. I’ve seen her talking on podcasts where she’s ideologically aligned with a perspective that overrepresentation is on merit and underrepresentation is based on structural racism. I find that a difficult circle to square.
“As far as expertise is concerned, the times that I’ve listened to her – I don’t think that she’s particularly enlightening, illuminating, engaging or charismatic. I don’t think she comes across particularly likeable but that’s my view, but some people have the same view of me.”
It’s important to highlight that Jordan did agree with Eni Aluko’s idea to have the main pundit roles go to women for women’s football coverage and vice versa. But she looked visibly taken back by the rest of the assessment, replying: “It’s an opinion, which we’re all entitled to. I put value on them, everybody has them.
“I’m not going to listen to a mob on X who have never put themselves in a situation to do anywhere close to what I’ve done. I listen to the professionals, the people who have hired me for the last 11 years, the biggest broadcasters in the world. By default, if I’m working with the people who are considered brilliant broadcasters, if I’m next to them, then by default I’m considered also a brilliant broadcaster.
“I appreciate what you’re saying, but in reality, I’ve been good enough for 11 years and as I said, I’m the person to go and seek out feedback, for someone to go: ‘I think you’re struggling’…it’s never happened.
In an attempt to further clarify her comments, she answered questions from Jim White about what changes she believes ought to be made. Speaking on talkSPORT, Aluko said: “I think it’s more about clarifying and saying look, I think 270 caps represent experience and the insight you can bring to the game.
“What I wasn’t saying is that 270 caps justifies an instant pick, of course, you need a skillset to be a pundit. The point I was trying to make is, that in women’s football, my opinion is that where there’s a choice, I want to see that level of experience on the main panel for women’s football.
“That’s not at the exclusion of Nedum Onuoha or Ian Wright, I’m saying. Can we have a situation where women are the main faces of women’s sport and then the men play more of a supporting role? That might be…Ian Wright could do 10-minute hits before the game, a bit of colour, bit of context, then back to the main studio and bang, you’ve got the faces of the game, whoever the three female pundits are.”
Her Response to Laura Woods
Aluko also had another opportunity to address Laura Woods’ comments, who hit back at her comments about female pundits in women’s football, and acts as the perfect contradiction to her former ITV partner’s points about women in football being restricted. “I respect Laura’s opinion and always have done,” she said.
“I think it’s helpful for her to outline a lot of the attributes that go into a brilliant pundit. Caps are part of that, as I explained, it’s not the decider, but it’s an objective way to say this person has enough experience to talk about this specific game. Now, it’s interesting because Laura is one of the people I would consistently go to, we got on like a house on fire, I’d go to her and say: ‘How do you think it went? What do you think?’.
“Laura consistently – and I had to look at the messages again and go hold on, I feel a bit gaslit here – said to be, I think you’re a brilliant broadcaster, I think you’re a brilliant pundit. So, I think there’s a little bit of serving an argument at this point, which I respect, she doesn’t agree and that’s fine, but I think there’s an insinuation in there, that you don’t have the standard.
“Again, I’ve worked too hard for people to conclude that because you’re not seeing me on screen you’re not good enough, that’s not true. She mentioned about the camaraderie in the group, we had loads of that, that’s the funnest part for me. I’m not the person that’s difficult to work with behind the scenes, me and Laura got on, everyone gets on.”
Jim White then raised the ‘gaslit’ comment again, with Aluko saying: “Well, not gaslit, I don’t want to say that. She has a view and I appreciate her view… she mentioned about little boys being important as well, I agree, but when I see little boys coming to the games now, they’ve got women on their shirts, they don’t have men pundit names on their shirts.
“I think that there’s an insinuation there that if you’re sat in the stands then you don’t meet the things that make a brilliant broadcaster.
“But as I said, privately, she’s told me and reassured me that I’m a brilliant broadcaster, which I thought I’d forever appreciate from Laura.”
All eyes were on Cristiano Ronaldo as Portugal took on Spain in the World Cup Last 16, but the veteran forward looked every bit his 41 years of age as his nation lost 1-0.
Despite its billing, the game was a low-key event as both teams struggled to create much. In the end, Mikel Merino came off the bench to net a winner, keeping his cool when put through on goal in the 91st minute.
And with that, Ronaldo’s hopes of winning at the World Cup came to an end. This was his sixth time playing in the tournament, but having failed to go all the way yet again, he has now confirmed this was his last shot at glory.
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The Al-Nassr striker’s inclusion in the team has been up for debate for some time now. He failed to score at Euro 2024, but kept his place in the team this summer. Thierry Henry was among those to question just how useful it was to have Ronaldo in the Portugal starting XI.
The 41-year-old scored two goals against Uzbekistan and a penalty vs Croatia in his five World Cup outings, but he struggled to have any impact against Spain. In light of the 1-0 defeat, the Portuguese media have now dropped a very clear verdict on Ronaldo, suggesting it’s time he stepped away from the national team.
Portugal’s A Bola strongly stated:
“We do not want to ‘kill’ Ronaldo. But enough is enough. The captain’s era has already lasted longer than necessary, and it must end now.”
Portuguese outlet Record added: “Ronaldo finished his last stage with another regret, recording 11 World Cup goals in total (3 in this tournament).
“Unfortunately, this kind of scene was not new to Ronaldo and the Portuguese people. He was eliminated in the round of 16 by Morocco in the 2022 Qatar tournament and cried in the tunnel heading to the locker room. Ronaldo’s end on the world’s biggest stage became one of sadness.”
A Bola were also baffled that Ronaldo wasn’t subbed off sooner for Gonçalo Ramos, although it laid the blame at the feet of manager Roberto Martinez (who has since quit).
Their journalists wrote, “There is only one person responsible. Martinez,” before adding: “The obsession with never touching the established status of Ronaldo and [Bruno] Fernandes ultimately left Portugal in tears.
“Not putting Ramos in was the final scene of the horror movie Martínez showed. It was like choosing a diplomatic coach who would smile and wave while the house was burning rather than causing a stir. Ramos was a player who produced an attacking point every 37 minutes on average at the World Cup.”
Writers from A Bola then urged change, saying,
“Now it is time for Ronaldo to step back. We already know. His pride will not allow him to become the backup for a player who is currently showing far better form. The pathological obsession that Ronaldo must play 90 minutes, 90 minutes, and another 90 minutes has left the course of this World Cup forever uncertain had it not existed.”
Adding to the criticism, the Spanish media have also commented on Ronaldo’s final World Cup outing, as they watched their countrymen knock Portugal out of the tournament. As quoted by the Mirror, ABC wrote:
“Lacking speed, dribbling and bite. At times, he didn’t even seem to know what to do with the ball. “His lacklustre performance wasn’t enough to send him to the bench, which partly explains the meagre attacking output of a Portugal side that relied on him as its main attacking threat.”
La Razon called “participation in the game was limited” and highlighted his lack of movement: “Over the years, his range of action on the field has considerably reduced, and he no longer possesses the explosiveness that characterised much of his career.
“He was the player who covered the fewest kilometres and never came close to truly troubling Unai Simon. He left without the leading role he had envisioned for such a momentous night, although with the feeling of having given everything he had.”
AS summed things up as they asked: “What about Cristiano? No sign of him.”
Arsenal now know how much they will have to pay to snap up an experienced Premier League right-back. Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta are carefully crafting their summer recruitment strategy, keen to improve as they look to bridge the gap to PSG, but they must be careful not to disrupt what is already a very good team.
There are one or two areas Arteta wants to strengthen, with the left-wing and number 8 roles the biggest priority, in that order, while the Spaniard will also want a little more depth at right-back, given Ben White’s injury troubles, and then it will be about replacing any squad players who are lured away by the opportunity to start regularly elsewhere.
Wan-Bissaka price tag emerges
One of Arsenal’s less expected summer targets is said to be West Ham star Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who will be hoping to stay in the Premier League despite the Hammers being relegated. Wan-Bissaka did well with DR Congo in the World Cup this summer, and he has proven himself a solid defender at Premier League level.
The former Manchester United star is not going to be seen as a starting option for Arsenal, but he can certainly be a deputy at the position, and his pace means he can offer something different off the bench. That pace on the right is arguably something Arsenal don’t have enough of between White and Timber.
According to The Athletic, West Ham will commission a Wan-Bissaka sale this summer, but they are asking for a £25million asking price to be met. The 28-year-old is likely to want a move, but he is under contract until 2031, giving West Ham plenty of control over his future.
The Hammers are set to make £10million on their initial £15million investment.
Wan-Bissaka is ‘the best’ at one particular skill
Wan-Bissaka has regularly been dubbed the best one-on-one defender in the Premier League over the years. James Maddison once said: “AWB is ridiculously good at 1 v 1 defending. Probably the best in the world bar none. So many wingers run out of ideas when playing directly against him.”
Martin Keown added back in 2020: “He’s a magnificent defender, simply the best one-against-one defender in the Premier League. He’s patient, look how close he gets to his opponent. Sterling has got electric pace but it doesn’t matter because he goes in. He takes charge of things.
“People thought I was good and I think this guy is ahead of me. He has got that arrogance and great pace. He picks his moment, it’s brilliant defending. His teammates know he is their best defender.”
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A shock seat swap in Formula One could be on the cards for next season.
The F1 season has been full of its usual twists and turns, both on and off the track. The latest reports, however, suggest one of the most dramatic transfers could well unfold. And this rumour appears to have more substance than the usual ‘Silly Season’ gossip.
As F1 approaches its summer break, the drivers and their camps plot out potential moves. As it becomes clear which constructors have the fastest cars and which driver in their pairings has priority, tensions and frustrations can rise. This has been particularly true in the McLaren camp.
While they produced the fastest cars last season, they have been off the pace this year. That, in addition to their ‘papaya rules’, has led Oscar Piastri to become increasingly upset with the team. The Australian has been linked with a move away since the end of the 2025 season, when he lost out on the championship to his teammate Lando Norris.
Driver Unhappy With His Current Team
Piastri and his team believe he has been treated unfairly under the papaya rules. These are a set of guidelines that are intended to foster clean racing by allowing them to race, but must do so without any contact.
However, it has caused some controversy, particularly due to its inconsistent application in situations where McLaren have issued team instructions to Piastri, ordering him to allow his teammate Norris through. This has caused a strained relationship between his manager, Mark Weber, and the team.
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With speculation mounting, it may be that his decision has now been made. The 24-year-old has a contract with the Woking outfit until 2028, but it has recently been revealed that he has an exit clause that could see him leave should he be outside the top five by summer break. Piastri currently sits in sixth with two races to go.
A report by Grande Premio claims that he is weighing up ‘activating his release clause and terminating his contract.’ The papaya rules, the 2025 season, and an underwhelming performance in the current season, have fractured his relationship with McLaren and ‘exposed internal friction’ between Webber and the British outfit’s leadership.
If Piastri is to leave, it would free up the possibility of F1’s biggest shock since Lewis Hamilton‘s move to Ferrari: Max Verstappen to McLaren.
Driver Swap Could Take Place
Like Piastri, Verstappen has cut a frustrated figure at his outfit. He has been transparent about his anger at the new regulations and has openly criticised the RB22 on multiple occasions. Amid speculation that he plans to leave Red Bull, or potentially even F1, rumours have spread linking him to McLaren.
Verstappen has a similar exit clause in his contract allowing him to leave should he finish outside the top two by the summer break. That condition has been fulfilled as the Dutchman cannot mathematically catch George Russell in second.
Should both claims come to fruition, the most likely outcome is a swapping of the seats, which would see Verstappen race in the orange of McLaren while Piastri would join Red Bull.
With McLaren, alongside just about every outfit, longtime admirers of Verstappen, and Red Bull viewing Piastri as a successor to the Dutchman, this move makes a great deal of sense for all parties involved. However, nothing is concrete yet, with Webber also talking to Audi over a potential deal for his driver.
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