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5th October 2023
03:07pm BST
Harry Redknapp has come out in support of Kevin Keegan following the ex-Newcastle and England star's comments about female pundits.
Keegan admitted that he has “a problem” with “an England lady footballer” providing expert analysis on Gareth Southgate’s team.
The 72-year-old made the comments while appearing in front of an audience of 250 people who bought tickets to An Evening With Kevin Keegan OBE in Bristol.
In comments reported by The Times, he said: “I’m not as keen, I’ve got to be honest, and it may not be a view shared. I don’t like to listen to ladies talking about the England men’s team at the match because I don’t think it’s the same experience. I have a problem with that.
“If I see an England lady footballer saying about England against Scotland at Wembley and she’s saying, ‘If I would have been in that position I would have done this’, I don’t think it’s quite the same. I don’t think it crosses over that much.”
Since his thoughts were publicly aired, Keegan has been condemned across social media but Redknapp said he could understand where Keegan was coming from but admitted he was "brave" to air his views.
Speaking to Mike Graham on Talk TV, he said: "A lot of people will be thinking that for sure. A lot of people will be thinking 'great, have the women commentating on the men's football for sure' but there's also lots of great male pundits so I just think it's gone a little bit the other way at the moment.
"There's lots of very knowledgeable women out there and I love the women's football but I can see where he's coming from."
Following his controversial comments, Keegan did reserve some praise for the women's game.
His comments drew some applause from those at the event before the former Newcastle and England star then said he was fully supportive of the development of women’s football.
“The presenters we have now, some of the girls are so good, they are better than the guys. It’s a great time for the ladies,” he continued.
“It is a great time for the ladies’ game. When I was England manager [from February 1999 to October 2000], I went to coach the England ladies and I had this perception of what the quality would be like and they were so much better than I thought they were going to be.
“I joined in and then I thought, ‘I’m getting out of this’. I couldn’t get the bloody ball and one of them nutmegged me, that finished me off.”
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