The ongoing feud between football pundits Eni Aluko and Laura Woods has taken a dramatic new turn, with Aluko accusing her ITV colleague of gaslighting her in a public dispute over the role of male commentators in women's football.
Social Media Sparks Fresh Conflict
Laura Woods launched a series of social media posts on Monday targeting Eni Aluko after the former England international reiterated her controversial stance that male pundits are blocking opportunities for women in football broadcasting. Woods claimed Aluko's latest comments were "dragging women's punditry backwards," prompting a swift and emotional response from the 38-year-old former forward.
Aluko's Gaslighting Allegation
Speaking on talkSPORT on Tuesday morning, Aluko revealed she felt "gaslit" by Woods' criticism, particularly given their previous positive relationship. "I respect Laura's opinion and always have done," Aluko stated. "But I had to look at the messages yesterday and thought 'hold on, I feel a bit gaslit here.'"
The former England star, who scored 33 goals in 105 international appearances, explained that Woods had previously offered consistent praise for her broadcasting abilities. "Laura consistently said to me 'I think you're a brilliant broadcaster and pundit,'" Aluko revealed. "So I think there's a little bit of serving her argument at this point."
Long-Running Feud with Ian Wright
This latest controversy stems from Aluko's ongoing criticism of male pundits in women's football, particularly her comments about former Arsenal forward Ian Wright. Last April, Aluko sparked controversy by suggesting Wright needed to be aware of "how much he's doing in the women's game" and claiming he had made it more difficult for female pundits to find industry positions.
Although Aluko later apologized for her remarks, Wright rejected the apology, expressing disappointment with her comments. The former England international recently doubled down on her position, calling for women's football to be "gatekept" and maintaining her view that male pundits like Wright are limiting opportunities for women in broadcasting.
Professional Standards Debate
Aluko defended her qualifications during the talkSPORT interview, emphasizing that international experience provides objective credibility for pundits. "Caps isn't the decider but it's an objective way to say that a person has enough experience to talk about this specific game," she explained.
The broadcaster expressed frustration with what she perceived as an insinuation about her professional standards. "I've worked too hard for people just to conclude that because you're not seeing me on screen, you're not good enough," Aluko stated. "That's not true."
Collegial Relationship Breakdown
Aluko described her previous relationship with Woods as particularly close, noting they "got on like a house on fire" and that she would regularly seek Woods' feedback on her performances. This history makes the current public disagreement particularly painful for the former England star.
Despite the strong language and emotional allegations, Aluko maintained she respects Woods' right to disagree. "Which I respect, she doesn't agree and that's fine," Aluko said of Woods' position. However, the gaslighting accusation represents a significant escalation in a dispute that continues to divide opinions in football broadcasting circles.
