WHAT’S HOT WHAT’S NOT
HOT MICHAEL SHELLEY
IF A marathon runner fell in front of you or me, we would interrupt our own race in order to help. But we haven’t trained to win, only to take part. As such it’s unfair to criticise Shelley (above) for running past stricken rival Callum Hawkins in last week’s Commonwealth Games marathon on the Gold Coast. Shelley is 34 and was defending his title on home soil. Most competitive athletes would have done exactly the same.
JOEY BARTON
ONE of football’s most divisive figures has his chance to walk the walk. I would not expect Barton (right) to succeed at Fleetwood, where the remit is not only to win matches but also regularly produce players for sale. However, the former Manchester City and Burnley midfielder has taken his coaching badges and has shown the courage to start his management career further down the pyramid. There is no reason why he shouldn’t be given his chance.
BEN FOSTER
AS Gareth Southgate sees World Cup goalkeeping options narrow before his eyes, it was interesting to see Foster (right) perform so well as West Brom won at Old Trafford. He is only 35 and though it is largely considered that he has ‘retired’ from international duty, a phone call from the England manager would not cost him very much, would it?
NOT COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
MUCH frustration at Headingley as Yorkshire’s opener with Essex was abandoned without a ball being bowled. The first time this has happened at the famous ground since 1967. Essex believe more could have been done to help an outfield that failed to recover from endless rain in the days before the fixture. However, the answer to the problem is more straightforward. The cricket season simply starts too early.
PAUL POGBA
MANCHESTER UNITED have many good players so the fuss about Pogba and his output is disproportionate. However, United behaved as though Pogba had arrived to save the world when they re-signed him in the summer of 2016 so they must accept the scrutiny now that it hasn’t happened.
CHELTENHAM
WITH the British Horseracing Authority already looking in to historical data from the venue after six deaths at the festival, Cheltenham witnessed another fatality on Thursday. Dame Rose suffered a heart attack in the hot weather while two other horses were treated for heat exhaustion. I may be getting boring on this topic but that’s only because it’s important.