Featured Image Credit: talkSPORT
Topics: Simon Jordan, England, Premier League, Football, Football News
Jack Kenmare
Topics: Simon Jordan, England, Premier League, Football, Football News
TalkSPORT co-host Simon Jordan has finally provided some context to a viral clip of him clashing with Eni Aluko while the microphones were switched off.
On Tuesday morning, former Lionesses forward Aluko appeared on radio station talkSPORT in an attempt to address the backlash over her most recent comments about male pundits in women's football.
Aluko reignited the debate by mentioning that two of the six pundit spots across ITV and BBC’s coverage of the 2025 women's Euros final were taken by men, who happened to be Ian Wright and Nedum Onuoha.
She also accused Wright of showing "disrespect" after the former striker-turned-pundit turned down her apology over remarks she made last year.
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Back in April, Aluko suggested that Wright was blocking opportunities for females to cover the women's game through his prominent role in women's football coverage, something she later apologised for.
Her appearance on Tuesday's talkSPORT broadcast was watched by thousands, although an off-air incident was one of the biggest talking points after a clip of Aluko and co-host Simon Jordan emerged online.
As seen in the clip below, the pair can be seen engaging in what appeared to be a heated debate.
Now, Jordan has cleared up the incident, revealing that he told Aluko that she was "foolish" to go for "national treasure" Ian Wright.
"First of all, I didn't launch a blistering attack on Eni," he said on Wednesday's show.
"You asked me to repeat what I said about her on the previous show. So I did. I think that has a bit of integrity. I also qualified myself in that situation by saying a lot of people might think that about me.
"What I said to Eni in the break was that, 'you were foolish to go for Ian Wright. For whatever reason he is a national treasure. You are silly to have done that and it is your own fault. You brought this on yourself'.
"It was a fluid exchange," added Jordan. "It wasn't hostile."
Jordan hit headlines on Tuesday for his scathing assessment of Eluko's punditry work.
"I don't think you are particularly enlightening, illuminating, engaging or charismatic," he said.
"The language that you use is, to me, it's steeped in a sense of entitlement. The sheer weight of the entitlement you seem to believe you have would sink the weight of the Titanic.
"I think you have been quite fortuitous. I think because of initiatives like DEI, they've allowed people to be put into positions in the men's game that I don't think they have merited."
Jordan added: "I listened to your observations about Ian Wright, and I've known Ian for 25 years - Ian is not in any shape or form obligated to provide any support structure for you, or give you a sense of entitlement."
As mentioned above, Aluko got people talking this week when she expressed frustration at Ian Wright and Nedum Onuoha being two of the six pundits used by ITV and BBC for last summer's women's Euro final.
Woods, who has previously worked alongside Aluko, reacted to the comments made on the 90s Baby Show podcast with a series of posts.
"Caps don’t win automatic work and they don’t make a brilliant pundit either," wrote Woods on X. "The way you communicate, articulate yourself, do your research, inform your audience, how likeable you are and the chemistry you have with your panel are what makes a brilliant pundit."
Woods continued: “'The women’s game should be by women for women' is one of the most damaging phrases I’ve heard. It will not only drag women’s sport backwards, it will drag women’s punditry in all forms of the game backwards.
"If you want to grow something, you don’t gate keep it. We want to encourage little boys and men to watch women’s football too, not just little girls and women. And when they see someone like Ian Wright taking it as seriously as he does - they follow suit. That’s how you grow a sport."
She added: "Here’s a picture of our team at ITV. We won best production at the Broadcast Sport Awards 2025 for our coverage of the women’s euros. Seb Hutchinson won best commentator too. So I think ITV got it just right."
On Monday, Aluko released a statement in response to Woods as she attempted to clarify her comments.
"I respect Laura's opinion as I have always done," Aluko said in a statement on talkSPORT.
"For eleven years I have worked alongside the likes of Laura and all those considered the best pundits in the game. It's therefore clear I was considered one of the best too if I was part of the same punditry team.
"No one who has ever hired me as a pundit has said I wasn't good enough or did not have all the attributes Laura referred to. Quite the contrary. I believe that women's football should prioritise women as the faces of the sport - it's as simple as that.
"I think women should be the dominant force in the women's game in the same way that men are the dominant force in the men's game. That means men should play more of a supporting role.
"No one is saying any man should be excluded but the roles do need to be defined. That's all I'm saying - and people are quite free to disagree whilst respecting my right to an opinion too."