Former Birmingham City stalwart Ian Bennett has expressed his astonishment at fellow ex-professional Joey Barton's recent inflammatory comments about women working in football punditry.
The 52-year-old former goalkeeper, who made over 300 appearances for Blues between 1993 and 2001, didn't hold back when addressing Barton's controversial social media outbursts that compared female analysts to men talking about the weight of knitting wool.
'Embarrassing' Comments Slammed
Bennett described Barton's remarks as "embarrassing" and revealed he was left genuinely surprised by the nature of the comments from the former Manchester City and Newcastle United midfielder.
"I was astounded," Bennett admitted. "It's embarrassing. I've got a wife and daughter and I wouldn't want anyone speaking about them like that."
Women's Football Progress Recognised
The former shot-stopper went on to praise the significant advancements in women's football, highlighting how the game has evolved beyond recognition in recent years.
"Women's football has come a long way," Bennett stated. "The Lionesses have done brilliantly and the standard is improving all the time."
Barton's Controversial History
This isn't the first time Barton has found himself at the centre of controversy regarding women in football. The outspoken personality previously suggested that female commentators shouldn't be covering men's games, claiming they "shouldn't be talking with any authority" about the sport.
His latest comments have sparked widespread condemnation across the football community, with Bennett joining a growing chorus of voices calling for greater respect and recognition of women's contributions to the beautiful game.
As the debate continues, Bennett's measured response stands in stark contrast to Barton's inflammatory approach, highlighting the divide in attitudes towards gender equality within football media and punditry.
