Eni Aluko and Simon Jordan caught in furious row mid-advert break on talkSPORT as he says her ‘entitlement would re-sink the Titanic’ and she accuses Laura Woods of ‘gaslighting’

Eni Aluko and Simon Jordan clashed on air as the fallout continues over their comments regarding Ian Wright.

Aluko hit the headlines again last weekend when she called for women’s football to be ‘kept gated’, reiterating her view that male pundits such as Wright were hindering opportunities in the game.

The 38-year-old sparked controversy last April when she claimed former Arsenal and England striker Wright should have been aware of ‘how successful she is in women’s football’.

Despite apologizing for comments he made 10 months ago, Aluko reignited his war of words with Wright. The 90’s Baby Show podcast.

Her biggest problem was that Wright and Nedum onuoha were two of six pundits from ITV and the BBC at last summer’s Euro Women’s final, while she and lioness legend Fara Williams were not involved.

appeared on Tuesday talkSPORT with Jim White and Jordan to defend his position. But at one particular moment, as the show returned from a commercial break, Jordan and Aluko could be seen in the middle of a violent confrontation.

Aluko appeared on the show to clarify her comments on Ian Wright and women’s football

Aluko previously accused Wright of denying women opportunities in football

Before the break, Jordan had launched a scathing attack on Aluko, branding him ‘not particularly illuminating, illuminating, engaging or charismatic’.

He added that he didn’t feel Aluko ‘looked particularly cute.’

Former Crystal Palace owner Jordan later explained: ‘The language you use, to me, is filled with a sense of entitlement.

‘The sheer weight of the authority you believe you have will lighten the weight of the Titanic. I think you’re being quite casual.

‘I think initiatives like diversity, equality and inclusion have allowed people to be put into positions in the men’s game that I don’t think they deserve.’

When the program returned after the break, viewers on the radio show’s YouTube channel saw Jordan and Aluko appear to be in the middle of a heated argument.

Jordan was seen waving his arms in the air and making hand gestures towards Aluko, who appeared less than impressed.

The former England international pulled his face away and moved away from Jordan.

Aluko was back in the spotlight at the weekend when she called for women’s football to be ‘kept gated’, reigniting her rivalry with the hugely popular Wright.

Speaking at the start of his appearance on the programme, Aluko said: ‘I think it’s more about clearing things up and saying look, I think the 270 caps (the number shared between Aluko and Williams) represent the experience and the insight you can bring to the game.

‘What I didn’t say was that 270 caps justifies instant selection, of course you need a skill set to be an expert.

“The point I’m trying to make is that my sense in women’s football is that where there is a selection, I want to see that level of experience in the main panel for women’s football as well.

‘This doesn’t rule out Nedum onuoha or Ian Wright. I wonder if we could face a situation where women are the main face of women’s sport and men play more of a supporting role?

‘Ian Wright might do 10 minutes of practice before the game, a bit of colour, a bit of context, then go back to the main studio and bang, whoever the three female pundits are, you see the faces of the game.’

Sitting next to Aluko, Jordan admitted he understood where he was coming from, then added: ‘I think we live in a society where people don’t have the experience and the substance, they don’t know what they’re talking about. [and are] They pose as experts.

‘I don’t mean any disrespect to women in men’s football but I think they have zero expertise in men’s football.

‘I think they can talk about tactics but the two games are very different; speed, scale, pressure, physicality. ‘These are very different games.’

Jordan did not describe Aluko as ‘particularly illuminating, illuminating, engaging or charismatic’

He continued: ‘I met Eni in short and long form, we chatted about the commercialism of football, which I think Eni talked about without any commercial sense. That’s my opinion, he probably doesn’t agree either.

‘I’ve seen him on podcasts talking about being ideologically aligned with the perspective that over-representation is based on merit and under-representation is based on structural racism.

‘I think this is a difficult circle to square. As for his expertise, when I listen to him I don’t find him to be particularly illuminating, illuminating, engaging or charismatic.

‘I don’t think he looks particularly cute but that’s just my opinion, although some people have the same opinion of me.’

Aluko had also targeted former colleague Laura Woods, who criticized Aluko for comments she made after going to X on Monday.

Woods said: ‘Capitals don’t make automatic work and neither do they make a brilliant pundit. The way you communicate, the way you express yourself, the way you do your research, inform your audience, how likeable you are, and the chemistry you have with your panel is what makes a great expert.

‘The women’s game should be for women’ is one of the most hurtful statements I have ever heard. This will not only drag women’s sports backwards, but also female experts in every form of the game.

The Lioness star also accused former ITV colleague Laura Woods of ‘gaslighting’ her

‘If you want to grow something, you don’t spy on it. We want to encourage not only little girls and women, but also little boys and men to watch women’s football. They do the same when they see someone like Ian Wright taking the issue as seriously as he does. That’s how you improve a sport.’

Woods continued in another post: ‘Here’s a photo of our team on ITV. We won best production at the Broadcast Sport Awards 2025 for our coverage of the Women’s Euros. Seb Hutchinson also won the best commentator award. That’s why I think ITV got it right.’

Following Woods’ comments, Aluko accused the popular TV host of “gaslighting” him.

‘It’s interesting because Laura is one of the people I go to all the time, we got along like a house on fire,’ he said.

‘I would constantly go up to him and say: “How do you think it went? What do you think? How did it go?” I am such a person.

‘I looked at the messages yesterday and thought, wait, I’m feeling a little pumped here. Laura kept telling me: “I think you’re a great broadcaster. I think you’re a great expert.”

‘So I think it serves his argument a little bit at this point, which I respect. He disagrees and that’s okay. But I think there’s an implication here that you’re not up to standard.

‘I’ve worked hard for people to conclude that because you don’t see me on screen, I’m not good enough. This is not true.’