Sunderland, having stuck with Moyes as the club head for certain relegation, seem likely to stand by their man despite the fallout to his ill-judged off-camera statements to the BBC's Vicki Sparks.
The ructions over the comments go on, however. Alison Bender is a football journalist who has a lot of experience dealing with football managers. She works for ESPN and was previously employed with the BBC, Chelsea TV and Real Madrid TV. Her tweets on the whole affair this afternoon are quite telling. She makes it clear that it's not the first time Moyes has made comments along these lines, but it's her professional opinion that female football journalists need to accept a degree of on-the-job 'banter' from managers and players.
This Moyes thing is such a tricky one to comment on. I think we need to take a certain amount in jest/ heat of moment. Unfortunately 1/2
— Alison Bender (@alibendertv) April 3, 2017
2/2 ...these are not the first off camera remarks I've heard from him aimed at a woman so it makes my opinion a little different. Difficult
— Alison Bender (@alibendertv) April 3, 2017
Moyes, it seems, is fond of using lines like 'wee bit naughty' to female reporters. It's telling that Bender is not looking to vilify Moyes here. Bender's tweets speak to the extent of casual sexism that female journalists in English football have to accept on a daily basis. Moyes is set to speak at a press conference this afternoon, amid calls from many in the UK, including Labour MP and shadow sports minister Dr Roseana Allin-Khan, for 'immediate' reaction from the FA over the comments. He has already apologised.
This is disgraceful. David Moyes cannot get away with these sexist threats - the @FA must take action immediately. pic.twitter.com/kcMSQFmI7g
— Dr Rosena Allin-Khan (@DrRosena) April 3, 2017
