The Sunday Times, The World Cup And "experts"

[10ClarionSt]

I wrote to The Sunday Times last week (see letter below). I was surprised to receive a reply from the letters editor telling me I made some strong points but they would not be publishing it. Normally it's an automated reply and you never hear any more. Maybe they were considering publishing it. But they couldn't publish a letter that criticised women could they? They couldn't give any creedence to the points in this letter could they? Not The Sunday Times!

Dear Sir, I would agree with some of the points Camilla Long is making, (It's A World of Two Halves, Lads. Women Have a Right To Talk World Cup balls too, The Sunday Times, 24/6/18),
but, "Firmee", her point about Eni Aluko being an England International with 100 caps, gives no weight to her argument, as I firmly believe that many a decent Saturday/Sunday League team would wipe the floor with the England Ladies Football team. By including Eni, and other women covering the World Cup, it's just a sop to feminism, as with women covering other sports. More likely, it's just a contractual obligation to include women on the basis of equality, otherwise broadcasting companies would not be awarded the coverage. Women are no better at sports reporting than men. And some men DO talk absolute garbage. I always turn the sound down when watching a match, and I NEVER watch the so-called experts, "the guys in the studio", who are paid ridiculous money to talk ridiculously. So far, the coverage is good, Brian, but it would be better by shuffling, even removing the line-up in the studio. Back to you.

[fiction-factory]

If you "NEVER watch the so-called experts" does it matter to you whether the 'expert' is male or female and how good the 'expert' was.

I've really enjoyed listening to the experts. They help you see things differently. Mrs FF who normally doesn't watch football with me has watched most games and has commented at how informative some of them are, particularly Gary Neville. I definitely wouldn't include Eni among my top 5 pundits though so you and I agree there, 10CS>

[Zacs-Master]

Yes, a strangely contradictory standpoint there.

[10ClarionSt]

Thanks for the comments. Experience from previous coverage means that I won't watch when "the guys in the studio" are on. They get money for old rope - assuming they get paid. And I object to the BBC using licence payers money for it, especially the totally useless, abominable, Robbie Savage, whose programme was on the radio in the morning, but because of circumstances, I had to suffer for 20 minutes while he banged on about how right he was about everything. GERROFF!!!!

Apart from that, everything's fine. :o)