Female commentators ‘can’t have an opinion on men’s football’ – and Gary Lineker’s £1.35m salary ‘can’t be justified’: BBC Match of the Day icon Des Lynam calls out state of show on 60th anniversary

Former Match of the Day presenter Des Lynam, 81, has sparked controversy by claiming that female commentators are not qualified to cover men’s football.

Lynam, who presented the BBC’s football programme between 1988 and 1999, spoke to The Times just months after Joey Barton made scathing attacks on women working in men’s football.

Lynam explained that he has no problem with female presenters, but he did express his concerns about female commentators, saying they are not performing at the level they are talking about.

This isn’t the first time Lynam has criticised female pundits. In 2012, the 81-year-old called the female voice “annoying” and “not that appealing to actually comment on”.

Lynam has been criticised on social media for his comments about female commentators, with some X users describing him as a ‘dinosaur’ who needs to ‘get with the times’.

Former Match of the Day presenter Des Lynam, 81, has sparked controversy by claiming female commentators are not qualified to cover the men’s game

Joey Barton (pictured left) has spoken out about the role of female commentators in men’s football

Lynam told The Times: ‘I have no problem with female presenters, but if you are going to give your opinion on the sport as a pundit, you have to have played it at the level you are talking about, which is the men’s game.’

This isn’t the first time Lynam has criticized female pundits. Writing about the BBC’s coverage of the London 2012 Olympics, Lynam called the sound of the female voice “snickering.”

‘I have come to the conclusion that while female presenters do a good job, the female voice is not as attractive for actual commentary and in some cases has even become annoying.’

His comment sparked outrage from X at the time, with one user saying: ‘Just saw Des Lynam’s thoughts on female commentators. It highlights why it’s time to replace the old guard.’

Lynam’s views on female experts could again cause controversy, given the uproar that followed Joey Barton’s scathing attack on female experts.

The former footballer initially stated that ‘women should not speak with any authority in men’s football’ and even threatened to cancel his Sky Sport subscription if he was not removed from the panel.

Barton went on to criticise broadcasters Alex Scott, Laura Woods and Bianca Westwood, among others. He said it was ‘dangerous’ for women to work in men’s clubs because they could ‘have full-fledged affairs and cost people their marriages’.

Meanwhile, in an interview with The Times, Lynam gave his opinion on Gary Lineker’s salary at the BBC, as he is the highest-paid television talent for the sixth year in a row.

Barton has been particularly vocal about Eni Aluko’s involvement with the game’s men’s team

Lynam also shared his thoughts on Gary Lineker’s (pictured above) salary at the BBC

He said: ‘I don’t think you can justify it in terms of what a nurse or a firefighter does, but it’s the market – that’s what the BBC thinks they should pay to get his services. You can’t say that someone who says a few words on a television screen is worth more than someone who saves lives but dictates money. He’s a very lucky person.’

According to reports from the BBC in July 2023, Lineker was paid between £1,350,000 and £1,354,999 for work including Match Of The Day, 2023 World Cup coverage and Sports Personality of the Year.

Meanwhile, reports said Zoe Ball was the second highest paid broadcasting talent, and the highest paid woman with a salary of £980,000 – £984,999 for her Radio 2 morning show and a Radio 2 tribute to Terry Wogan.

Lineker first topped the list in 2017/18 with a pay scale of £1,750,000-£1,759,999, and in 2020 it was announced that he had taken a voluntary pay cut. His earnings remain static, despite his huge Twitter row earlier this year.