I have just watched his interview on Piers Morgan show. I am not sexist and quite enjoy women’s football. However, I do think Barton has a point in that the best person for the job should be commentating. However, I blame companies like the BBC for quotas not the women. As an ex civil servant I saw many people promoted for reasons not connected with meritocracy. Discuss!

I suspect Barton has been misunderstood on this.
The critics are keen to emphasise that the great commentators in the past weren’t footballers either…. But….they loved the game and will have played it as kids growing up through life and probably at some lower level of the game …..so have a good grounding to comment on it and the experience of turning out in all weathers and the difficulties encountered, they’ve had the grounding.
The dig was I suspect at those who have never obviously had this experience go to uni get a degree in sports journalism become presentable and have never experienced a wet Tuesday afternoon on Grayfields on a frozen rutted pitch.
I don’t watch women’s football, never have, no interest, so crack on if they want to and good luck to them …but it’s not for me.

How many of the great commentators/pundits from the past ever played football, there was no panel of experts in those days either, MOTD or equivalent was a 1 man show, I never watch it now.

I think you’re missing the point, most lads played football at some level in their lives in those days so experience the game at some level or other and know what’s involved in playing the game…..

agree with barton but wish someone more popular had said what he did and for me with him saying it many will not agree just because its barton that said it. indirectly he has done a good job for female commentators and pundits. less pundits and more action is whats needed and only replays of goals with the original commentary is whats needed at the end of a game we have all seen.

Someone who has played football on the Rec or Grey fields for 20 years knows more about the game than anyone else. I only did 15 but still romance about the frozen rutted pitches.

true, but knowing about it and telling someone about it with a microphone on with an audiance of millions are quite different.

I think there's a distinction to be drawn between live games and highlights programmes.

Yonks ago Sky introduced co-commentators (always an ex-pro) for live games and panels to discuss the game at half-time and after full-time. Radio might have been doing co-commentating even longer. Don't really have a problem with that. If I'm sitting down to watch 90-100 minutes of football I don't much fancy a single voice droning on through the whole thing.

Back in the day highlights programmes focused on a single game - it was Match Of The Day, not Matches. You got a pretty good idea of what the game was like. With the Premier League, MOTD turned into a type of 'all the goals from all the games' programme.

Now it's goals plus analysis. In practice that means you see even less of individual games - just the goals (twice), the violent conduct and the VAR controversies. It's a terrible format. These days, if I watch MOTD at all I put it on pause when it starts and sit down to watch it when it's finished - so I can fast forward through all the talking.

The commentaors of the past would have served their apprenticship in sports journalism before they became commentators on radio and then on televsion. They had a solid knowledge of the game and knew or were coached on how to commenatate on live games. Some of the women are not very good and it is obvious they are in the mens game in order to tick boxes. Alex Scott has no talent but the BBc are determined to make her a star because she ticks every box going. Barton is against this blatant tokenism and although he leaves a lot to be desired as a decent human being, his opinion is spot on and chimes with most blokes who watch men's football. The liberal lefties know he is right and are shocked someone has dared to challenge them so they are doing what they always do: ignore the debate and hurl labels: "sexist" "mysogynist" "dinosaur" etc.

There’s this idea that if someone like Barton makes a point there’s the chorus of knockers ready to pounce….. not my cup of tea, but if he says 2+2=4 there’ll be someone willing and ready to deny it.

I believe most men think like Barton. The truth is whether the woman presenters are good or not the programme makers now feel under pressure to show diversity by putting woman on panels. I feel it’s the same with coloured pundits.

At least with Barton you know what your getting, He doesn,t hide behind flavours of the month.

really we can do sod all about it. even if we use the off button i feel they are more bothered now about pushing certain agendas on us they are not even bothered about that. once the majority opinion ruled but not in todays world. just wonder how women would feel if they showed the female sport netball game and have male commentators and pundits on that like phil neville because his lass plays it at top level.

i would hate to be in there position knowing you are on for one single reason being diversity. doubt it would take many letters to pools or radio tees to get a woman on pools commentary,s.

I don’t know what it is but when they have these ‘ lady’ commentators are co-commenting it’s like me mam joining in …I actually prefer no commentary because to be fair you don’t get commentary watching the match when you’re actually there and the plus of learning new swear words.

The already have that Dana Malt as an "expert fan" summariser for the Boro in their post match chinwags and podcasts. Doing sports journalism at Uni apparently.
I dont mind her being on there but its when she tries to say what players are doing wrong that it makes me cringe.

Just wondered is it just the PremLge or do the EFL suffer them as well.

During a live tv game I sometimes turn the sound off, put headphones on and listen to a good LP.

For the younger readers that would be a rock music long player.

Or Chopin’s Funeral March if things take a turn for the worse.

sat at home and being at a match are far different. you need some commentary to make up for the lack of noise and atmosphere you get at games. its just too much at times but its an art many cannot do. fans discuss goals we let in after they happen and who if anyone was to blame and commentators on the box are just doing likewise. its their pretence of being experts thats worse than what they do. think we have all sat near one at the vic over the years as well.