Joey Barton sparked heated debate last week with his comments about female commentators and pundits. Photo: PA/Danny Lawson
Joey Barton sparked debate. This column will play the role, not the person, and provide an opportunity for others to question the tone and motives of what Barton said, or whether the correct response is outrage, agreement, or perhaps even concern for the person.
Some of his comments about who should talk and who should listen clearly touch on wider issues beyond football, but in terms of what we want from our sport on television, I I think he made a category mistake. . Simply put: talking is not the same as doing.
Barton says: «It's obviously helpful to talk about the men's game if you've played the men's game, and the higher the level probably the better because it gives you a unique experience.»
However, based on this rationale, the expert with the unique experience whose opinion carries the most value would be Lionel Messi, and it is difficult to imagine TNT Sports getting him booked for Fulham's match against Wolves on Saturday lunchtime. And would it be the case that Messi would know the problems that arise with, say, an insecure Burnley goalkeeper who is ordered to play from the back, or an Everton defender who switches too easily to his weaker side due to Mo? Salah?
Does this mean that a player who was the best in football has more insight than less experienced players? If so, what will be the cut-off point? Surely a player who has only played for Premier League strugglers will not be allowed to talk about Manchester City?
And with Barton it works the other way around: do you need specific experience of what it's like to play as a full-back in a relegation-threatened team to talk about Luton; wouldn't someone like Thierry Henry be able to comment?
But even if only those who have played for the biggest clubs can talk about football, there is a flaw in Barton's thinking. The boys in the studio, as we once knew them, are not here to play football: they are here to discuss it. Obviously, there is a difference between being really good at something and being good at talking about it. Otherwise, Ballon d'Or winner Michael Owen would have become a great, unmissable broadcaster, an entertainment legend. Michael is not that.
Michael Owen was a great hitter, but the same can't be said for his broadcasting skills. Credit: PA/Nigel French
The expert everyone loves right now is Ally McCoist, but that's because he's enthusiastic, dedicated, charismatic and funny, as well as being a veteran of thousands upon thousands of hours of live broadcasting.
It may not be fair to single out individuals, but does someone like Michael Dawson or Jamie Redknapp, who was on duty at Spurs v Newcastle on Sunday, regularly make you sit up and think, «Wow, I never thought about it! these comments enrich my viewing experience and understanding of football»?
Ellie McCoist is a popular and talented commentator and expert. Photo: Getty Images/Alex Dodd
Because I'm a saddo, I'll jot down some great excerpts from football pundits that made me think about the sport differently: There's still plenty of room in this Woolworths 49p notebook. For example: Daniel Sturridge was excellent on Monday Night Football, recently talking about how the fear of humiliation that players feel when facing Erling Haaland is different from the caution and deep respect they feel when facing Harry Kane.
But if it's a man with creaky knees and a League Cup winner's medal who says: «He kicked the ball for the first time» or «that Ware's decision was bad», then come off.
>Or Generally a woman with creaky knees. As more and more former female footballers enter the pundit sphere, we are seeing a kind of equality: many of them are also nothing special.
If male experts constantly provided the viewer with valuable and mysterious insights, privileged behind-the-scenes glimpses, unique perspectives on technical or mental problems, and yet they made their living from useless female competitors, then this it would be one thing.
But nine times out of 10, it's a simple «say what you see» thing, and regardless of the gender of the expert, direct personal experience is only part of the story. They are not on the football field, they are engaged in communication, and like many things in life, some succeed and some do not.
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