Teromaafan

Really? I’m judging him here and now and on what he is not doing and who is beating him on his home track. He’s only had three home meetings, but is being beaten by visiting riders who have never seen the track before and aren’t heat leaders. But give him time eh? What must the rest of the team think when their No.1 is a passenger and a GP rider at that?

Fricke has appeared in heat 15 in the three home meetings to date. Based on his performances in his programmed rides, it begs the question as to whether he should have been nominated for this heat. His total points return in this final heat is ………one. The majority of people on this forum seem quite chilled about Max ‘give him time, needs to get used to the track etc’ but he really does need to get himself sorted ASAP. Excuses for his sub standard performances are rapidly drying up.

The only riders who have an excuse for needing to get to know their own track are Allen and Sedgmen. Allen is struggling a bit but still chipping in with a few points. Sedgmen already looks very much at home and has so far exceeded most people’s expectations. Lawson, Harris and Morris all know this track and are there or thereabouts so far. The narrow home defeats (tonight was a defeat to me) point the finger mainly at Fricke for me. He’s our number one, a GP rider at that. For a rider of that status, I would have expected him to have sussed out the track/set up by now. For the record, he has been beaten by visiting reserves in two of the three home meetings so far. It’s also worrying that he’s been sent out for heat 15 in each meeting and has only scored one point in total.

Not calling the shots at all. Just a comment from someone who will be shelling out for three home meetings in a week and getting right behind my team but telling it like it is……….R Sole.

Tomorrow will be Fricke’s third home meeting. I’m expecting nothing less than a double figure score from him. I can’t accept any excuses beyond tomorrow for him getting used to the track. He is a Grand Prix rider. Hopefully Emil’s performance on Monday will be the wake up call he needs. Regardless of his status, Dickson’s patience is no doubt already being tested. Max does seem like a nice chap and we are all desperate for him to be a success. Riding against his previous club will hopefully be an additional motivation.

Whilst the Witches could have the most race winners, heat advantages may be a problem for them. The Lions middle/lower order riders need to be on their game. If this Witches team is to be beaten, the hard work needs to be done before heat 13 as I think that Ipswich will almost always outscore teams home and away over the last three heats.

Do I believe him? If he wished me good morning I'd go and look out of the window to make sure it wasn't dark!

Oh dear, this is so depressing I’m going to listen to a Smiths album to cheer me up.

Lions will take that result for the first meeting of the season away. The Witches scoring pretty much reflected the way their team is built. Keep it tight until heat 13 and two of the biggest hitters in the league will get the job done. Great, but tonight they were at home. When you rely on JD & ES to bag 25 points plus, the set up looks fragile. If either of this pair has an off night away from home, they will get spanked. A previous post highlights that Riss under performed and will no doubt improve. The same can probably be said for Lawson to balance things out, but Riss was on his home track. Although the Witches have a slender lead to take to Leicester for the second leg, the outcome is by no means a formality since everyone apart from Rew and Emil (yeah , like he will struggle!) is very familiar with the Lions track.

With all these early call offs to date what exactly is the newly appointed CEO (Climb Every Obstacle?) doing for his money? He needs to have words with the sky. Joking apart, poor Phil might find that he has more control over the weather than the people that employ him when his supposed unbiased decisions affect their clubs.

A bit surprised that Morris is at 5. Apart form heat 13, he will be partnered in races by reserves. Could that be a weakness? The gaffer obviously doesn't think so.

Fair enough but there have not been a ‘couple’ of matches so far!

The important thing to take into consideration here is the number of team places available to riders. After my interest hiatus of 28 years from the sport (the period of Leicester’s absence), I was quite alarmed at how few tracks were operational in 2011 when the Lions roared again. That number has reduced further since then. Whilst not wanting to dwell on the past (I picked up on the sport in the 70s), the biggest problem for me is the amount of doubling up between the top two leagues at present. When I could last be bothered, a check highlighted that about 70% of Championship riders also rode in the Premiership. That speaks volumes for the credibility of the sport. Pitch that to someone that you are trying to introduce to speedway and see what reaction you get. (Stay clear of explaining rider’s guest appearances). The fact that riders double up is not so much a reflection of a rider shortage, but the fact the extra meetings are essential to most of them to make the sport pay, irrespective of Nationality. Whilst in principle, moves to create more opportunities for young riders should be the way forward, sacrificing a more senior rider to make way for them, will impact on team strength. This doesn’t sit well with Promoters or supporters, neither of whom have any patience with an under performing team. Wearing the financial hat, the ‘future’ of the sport doesn’t extend beyond next week unfortunately.

Just hope he is his own man and doesn’t become a puppet.

Doesn’t matter what anyone’s opinion is on him, he hasn’t got a team place simply because team’s decision makers consider other riders are better value. Matter closed……..until May, when someone somewhere is under performing and the scramble starts for unattached options.

……Despite a poor taste in hats.

Where's your sense of humour Lisa?

They've solved the farce of a rider who rides for both teams. Lawson will ride for the Lions and the Pirates will use a guest to cover his absence. Bomber is the favourite to step in.

That enthusiasm is great but riding in three leagues is an awful lot of time on the road for a young driver, particularly when you consider the geographical locations of Championship and National League tracks.

Er.. no…Flappy’s post says he is definite?

Agreed. Pretty sure he’s just waiting to be contacted by a Championship club around May time when teams have already lost patience with under performers or have injuries. Highly unlikely that he would then still stay with the Cubs, for whom it would leave a massive void.

Me too. It might be a good way to learn a second language. I would then be able to demonstrate to my old boss that, like him, I am also bilingual. He was fluent in both English and absolute b*ll*cks.

Leicester did make contact with him and requested his measurements. He was apparently furious when he found out that they weren’t for kevlars but were for the mascot costume.

Are you referring to Justin Sejman?

There are some valid arguments on this thread for retaining Connor Mountain. Despite what those involved in the running of the sport might claim though, there is no investment in the future, it’s only about doing the best you can for your club for the upcoming season. Short sighted maybe, but when tracks are closing faster than new ones appearing it’s understandable. It’s not even about a full season because clubs will have tapped up riders who haven’t currently got a British commitment, ready for when the domestic revolving door starts from May onwards.