WHAT’S HOT WHAT’S NOT

HOT THE HALO

FORMULA ONE folk have whinged about it and there is no doubting that it is ugly. But some of the complaints from drivers are odd — why the death wish? The halo (above) is a measure that makes them safer and keeps the cars going fast. No one wants to see bubble wrap but surely anything that prevents tragedies is a good thing.

GARETH BALE

THE Real Madrid forward flies to the other side of the world for his country, trains four hours after landing and then breaks the Welsh goalscoring record with a hattrick. It is doubtful he will have the longevity of his national team manager, Ryan Giggs, but he has already surpassed him when it comes to going the extra (7,043) miles for Wales.

PHIL NEVILLE

AFTER getting involved in storms over his credentials to be England women’s team manager and Twitter use before even taking his first training session, it is looking a little rosier for Phil Neville and his role with the Lionesses. They have just been elevated to a record-high FIFA ranking of No 2 after finishing runners-up in the She Believes Cup. Early days but a promising start.

NOT SERENA WILLIAMS

THE American lost to Naomi Osaka in the Miami Open and promptly got in her car and sped off without doing her press conference. This after her rather terse response to reasonable enquiries about her Therapeutic Use Exemptions earlier in the month. At least there’s an answer to the question of whether a 14-month maternity leave would change her.

TREVOR BAYLISS

AFTER the utter shambles of England’s 58-run first innings against New Zealand in Auckland, the England coach said: ‘I don’t feel anger, more disappointment.’ After his players followed the Ashes debacle with this humiliation, perhaps it is time to give anger a try.

NEYMAR

WITH his countrymen working themselves into a nervous frenzy over the state of his metatarsal ahead of the World Cup, Neymar rocked up at a Sao Paulo nightclub on his crutches. His foot is expected to heal in time for him to take his place in the Brazil side in Russia, but it’s a curious hearts and minds strategy.