PHILIPRISING

IT'S rubbish... mind you, so are some of the responses. And I don't speak for the FIM. or BSI.

THIS has nothing to do with BSI. It was just a remark I made. Calm down. NO it isn't.

NOT quite ... they were once the same

IT was a hypothetical suggestion but Czechs and Slovaks are a little more realistic than an Argentinian with an American.

NOT unusual in any sport ... IMG, for example, negotiate TV deals for many sports. Don't do it for nothing. 90 per cent of something (not saying this is what it is) is better than 100 per cent of nothing.

MOST of that is what would probably now be called "fake news." Some Argentinian geezer alongside Greg ... where did that come from?

TRUE and now he is trying to find a solution. Repeat what I wrote earlier ... British speedway needs BT more than BT needs British speedway.

AND you are blaming him for that? How naive you are...

HOW so? Anyone who knows Terry Russell would say that he is a shrewd negotiator. He acquires a deal but it is for the BSPA to ratify it.

And some people still think averages work for the benefit of British speedway.

CHALLENGE very early next year.

THE proof of the pudding will be in the eating. We shall see.

THERE wasn't a World Pairs event this year. Racing for your country is a lot different to racing for a sponsor. And, anyway, as yet we don't know the format but there will be more than one meeting,.

MANY people have shown an interest in alternating the previous format of the SWC with a different one, especially if (as it will) involve more countries, many of which see this as an opportunity to perform on the highest stage. I attended many World Pairs over the years and seem to remember many good finals and some terrific racing along the way. The fact is that no country other than Poland is showing any real interest in staging a SWC race-off and final. Ole Olsen doesn't want it at Vojens right now because the Danes are scratching around for riders. Same with Sweden and GB if Rosco and Woffinden fail to mend bridges. The PZM have admitted that they would like four SGPs and the SWC each year but realise that isn't practical and they need other countries to be competitive otherwise even their fans will get tired of winning. A Final that includes riders of the calibre of (for example) Dudek and Zmarzlik, Doyle and Holder, Cook and Woffinden, Lindback and Lindgren, Laguta and Sayfutdinov, Millik and Vaculik, Lebedevs and one other should serve up a pretty good feast as did the likes of Briggs and Mauger, Collins and Morton, Gundersen and Knudsen, Nielsen and Jan O.Pedersen, Carter and Tatum in the past.

THE FIM

BT negotiations continue but British speedway needs BT more than the other way round in my opinion.

EVIDENCE?

IT'S no longer 2000. Times have changed. Pairs is a team competition. It's actually not cost-cutting because the fees to the FIM and the expense incurred will probably be more not less. The fact is that many countries have no interest in the SWC because they cannot track a competitive team. Now they can. Why not wait and see. Lots of people have been pushing for this for a long time. IN what coffin? The Poles, Swedes and Danes for starters are keen.

IT is still the Speedway World Cup only with a different name and a different format and one that, personally, I am all in favour of. More countries taking part and potential hosts, more nations competitive, more variety with riders. In answer to your questions Bavarian... the money isn't there. Even the PZM are admitting that winning everything has its own pitfalls. The current SWC format hasn't been scraped forever, just sidelined for the time being.

JUST doting the i's and crossing the t's ... all should be revealed soon.

THE meeting fee was in addition to the lump sum. Sky paid off their contract earlier this year (rumoured to be £600,000) and that money was distributed amongst the PL tracks.

I'M always one step behind you

HOPING for some news after this weekend's FIM gathering.

I WOULD agree with all of that and believe Mark also changed clubs in Poland the year after becoming WC for the same reason. However, Mark was happy to let Norrie do his deals and had a very successful career financially because of that. Norris was a tough negotiator and also brought a lot of money into the coffers of Chris Harris io the back on him riding in Poland and Sweden.

CERTAINLY not ... of a much newer vintage.