Where do you stand on women co-commentators in men’s football?

Just turned on the Europa Conference League final and Lucy Ward is the co-commentator, again! She just seems to rabbit on and it bothers me that she seems to think she knows more than me. I mean who is she? I’ve never heard of her as a footballer. I like some of the ex pro co-commentators, I respect them as footballers and appreciate that they know more than me. 
On a side note I did think Emma Hayes was good and she didn’t hurt my ears. 
The thing that bothers me most is that we all know the likes of Lucy Ward and Sue Smith are there simply because they are woman. Give the job to the best candidate not because of their gender. 
What do others think of the flood of female co-commentators?

Maybe because I've been brought up on great male commentators Brian Johnson (cricket), Bill McLaren (Rugby Union), Peter O'Sullevan (Horse Racing), Peter Allis (golf) John Motson (football) etc, I find it really hard to find much affinity for female commentary.

Like you it is pretty clear that these days there has to be in order to be politically correct an equal-ish number of women to men (and a significant quota of black (both male and female) commentators as well.

Positive discrimination I think it is called and ok, I'm sure it's done with the right intent and for the right reasons but I want someone who can lift and enhance my watching/listening of a sports event, not simply to tick an equal opportunity box quota in a corporate organisation.

A few years back commentators who had regional accents were 'pushed' too and I remember there was a woman with a thick Welsh accent (I even remember her name was Dot) who clearly only got the 'gig' because regional accents were then the 'in thing' because she knew next to nothing about what she was commentating (golf - irrc).

I've got a daughter and I certainly don't want her to bang her head on the 'glass ceiling;, so I'm not a misogynist in any way but I do want her to succeed on merit and not because women are underrepresented at the top in her chosen career but because she's the best person male or female, black or white - and I want the same for the person who commentates on whatever it is I'm watching.

A similar thing rankles with me at the theatre where parts are cast 'colour blind' meaning historical parts can be played by black actors - a good example at the moment is Romeo and Juliet currently on in London (it's supposed to be brilliant btw).



Now for me if the play was set in the fourteenth century, rich upper class, Italy you have two white leads.

If you want to set it more contemporary then have what ever skin colour you like - I don't see a problem in that.

Now if you think I'm going a bit racist here, then think about this - War Horse was a film and play that won a lot of awards - just imagine if you switched the horse for say a pig (because pigs are unrepresented in plays, or because you want 'animal blindness') then it starts to become bizarre and somewhat grotesque, doesn't it?

Then doesn't changing something in fourteenth century Italy into something it could not have been - and doing so deliberately - isn't that bizarre and somewhat grotesque too?

I mean how far do you go with it - why not have two black women in a lesbian relationship as Romeo and Juliet set in fourteenth century Italy, or maybe even the War Horse and his mate the pig as Romeo and Juliet set in fourteenth century Italy (based on blind 'living creature' casting)!

I guess what I'm saying is let us have the best person, man or woman, black or white (yellow. pink) able bodied, non able bodied, etc, etc, etc, for the job and if something is historic then be true to the history and not current day political correctness.

Also fwiw, women's sport (particularly football) is vastly over hyped and frankly imo not even that good to watch.

I do agree with all that you say and I don’t think for a second it’s racist or sexist anything that you said, it’s simply that this push on inclusivity is at the expense of equality and fairness. Who would be ok with being overlooked for a job because someone else got it because of their race or gender? Equality and fairness should always come before inclusivity. 
This is the one great thing about sport, the best players or athletes get the opportunities, no box ticking, no prejudice, no discrimination, no tokenism, it’s all down to talent and merit, and that’s how it should be in life but off the pitch it’s the reverse. 
I was watching a World Cup match from the 80s on YouTube last weekend with John Motson commentating, it was just amazing, great commentator, great knowledge, very likeable guy, clearly given the job on merit, I love that. 
And for what it’s worth I do like women presenters, I think Gabby Logan, Michelle Owen, Kelly Daglish, Jules Breech are excellent and do a great job. It’s the co-commentators who are annoying. 

Yes I hate the need to give acting roles to different races or genders from the factual reality. I saw the remake of Darling Buds of May and Charlie had gone from a white, ginger guy to a black guy. Why do that? If they remade the Fresh Prince of Belair I wouldn’t want a white guy playing Will or Carlton. 
Inclusivity has just gone crazy, I actually think it’s doing more harm than good as people realise now that it’s a woke agenda being forced upon us and people resent that.

I have no problem with female commentators if they know what they’re talking about. There are certainly plenty of male commentators who don’t.
I hate the cliches and stock phrases all commentators seem to come out with and it’s irritating that some females are adopting them - so boring and time for new ones - but knowledge is more important.
Things like “ the forward couldn’t get to the cross” when the cross was unreachable annoy me too.
But when Emma Hayes was doing punditry on itv at the WC with a couple of ex players her tactical knowledge etc put them to shame so for me there’s plenty of room for women in the business- just have to be good at their job and ideally drop the cliches.

wanderlust wrote:I have no problem with female commentators if they know what they’re talking about. There are certainly plenty of male commentators who don’t.
I hate the cliches and stock phrases all commentators seem to come out with and it’s irritating that some females are adopting them - so boring and time for new ones - but knowledge is more important.
Things like “ the forward couldn’t get to the cross” when the cross was unreachable annoy me too.
But when Emma Hayes was doing punditry on itv at the WC with a couple of ex players her tactical knowledge etc put them to shame so for me there’s plenty of room for women in the business- just have to be good at their job and ideally drop the cliches.

I'm all for cute women, whatever they are doing.

'm fine with it. I'd rather have a woman who knows what she's talking about than a man who doesn't. I'm also fine with female player pundits talking about the men's game for the same reason. Basically I don't care about the gender of the person on camera so long as they have knowledge of the subject and can communicate that knowledge clearly to the viewer/listener.