You bring up a good point that I never considered. Why female pundits are more qualified than a male League one player.I now feel very uncomfortable having made the comments I did after Barton's first post (that were posted on here). I thought he was genuinely, and fairly, questioning the sudden influx of Women's Premier League pundits to the men's game, even though he's a fucking nut.
This season has seen a surge in women both as presenters and as pundits. I'm very comfortable with the former because they are as likely to be good as the men. Alex Scott seems nailed on to replace Lineker as anchor, no problem with that.
My, minor, beef is around the person paired with the commentator on live games. I don't remember when Sky introduced "Co-Commentators" into the live broadcast but it seems half my life ago! They have, up until a few years ago, been exclusively players that have hit the heights of the EPL, won multiple honours and really know the way the game is played and what can be expected in any segment of play but also in the mind of the manger, the captain etc. So in the last 30 years the co-commentators have come from players who can boast multiple seasons as a SENIOR player in a EPL team. This role and hence job, has only been available to those with a top 'CV' from a big club with multiple years and the ability to talk on tv; Shearer, Keane, Wright, Ferdinand, McMannaman, Murphy, Hansen, Keown, Carra, Ratboy & Crouch and in recent times Richards, "jj" and Hargreaves.
So the inclusion of women pundits (not commentators) seems a jar. The women's PL is progressing rapidly but it's hard to imagine a single person who thinks that there's a women's pro who has experienced the game in the same way as a multi-season male EPL pro. That seemed to be the requirement. We don't have anyone from the EPL Barnsley team co-commentating, nor from the Leicester team that briefly hit the heights even. So either it is possible for any professional footballer to have a valid opinion, male or female or we want pundits (NOT COMMENTATORS) to have the experience of the speed, pressures and challenges of the EPL or not.
I'm too old to be arsed and I hate Joey started his kamikaze media hate spiel in this area. but I do think that if in my profession a whole new cadre of peeps get fast tracked to top jobs without the creds that were previously required I'd be pissed. I lay this open to the suggestion those creds were'nt required but still.
... and I repeat co-commentator not commentator
Honestly, if I saw a league one player being the expert on TV, I'd actually wonder what he's doing there.