Wolfsbane

The Plumber is stopping our season from disappearing down the u bend. Top man.

Looks like we'll have to agree to disagree on this one PMP As long as the PL devalue their product everytime the EL do then the status quo is maintained. If they don't then we end up with one product. If/when that happens what's the betting the 'EL' don't drop their prices to 'PL' levels. It'll be the opposite way around and then the BSPA can congratulate themselves on cutting costs bringing the sport to the lowest common denominator whilst still charging a premium price for an inferior product. Everywhere you look they're all at it. Cutting and cutting till the pips squeal. All that's left then is to squeeze the pips

I've had a relook at my post to see where I said the FTD isn't developing young riders. Errrr nope, can't see that, most likely because it isn't there. No problem with either of those at all. My problem is with the BSPA being happy to take credit for finally getting round helping the young ones develop but omitting to mention the cost savings it will bring to it's members. I find that if you're going to quote a post then it helps to actually read what it says first.

I am a fan of the draft system. With a few tweaks next season it'll be even better. What I'm not a fan of are people/organisations in all walks of life, in this instance the BSPA, who try to pass something off as helping others when it is obviously done in self interest. For example, Tesco introducing self service checkouts 'to enhance the customer experience'. Gollox, it's so you can save money by losing checkout operators off the payroll. Common sense are 2 words that have almost disappeared out of the English language, honesty is well on the way to being another.

Sounds sensible. The only flaw being that the draft rider system was introduced to save money, no matter how much the BSPA insist it's to help young Brits. On that basis they're hardly likely to increase costs by having a #8 unfortunately.

Joint top of the SGP and scoring fine in Poland & Sweden yet has dropped 13% off his starting average in GB. The only bloke who's knocking him down, as regards to the EL, is Tai himself. 7.97 is not a suitable level for a World Champion of any nationality.

According to the OS Ashley has been moved to a hospital in Cambridge with 'a slight bleeding on the brain'. Talking 6-8 weeks. Get well soon fella. Lewis Rose guests tonight. Also on the OS in the match report of our hammering at KL last night Van Straaten uses the word 'encouraging'. The question is, for who? The other EL teams? The man has lost the plot

A regrettable symptom of what is happening on planet Tai at the moment. Pretty sure there's others who will speak well of him though.

That would appear to be the most plausible explanation. So why is Adams allowing that situation to continue? That's the question.

A lot of people have been very fair to him. It's now gone beyond fairness. There's a few things wrong at Wolves but you can't strut around as World Champion and turn in scores like he's doing, Times run out for excuses which is a damn shame.

There were doubters during the close season, myself included in fairness, but if KL can avoid injuries to riders they can't replace with like for like, it's all over red rover. Great team, As for Pawlicki United? It's a good job he can't speak English, that way he doesn't have to worry about the gollox that comes out of Adams's mouth. (I was busy typing SCB so not copying!!) Draft riders apart, and hope Ash is ok, the only ones who care are Piotr & Jacob. World Champion? Yeah right. There's no 'I' in team Woffy.

Stop what!!?? You haven't suddenly become an Adams fan?

There's a moral in that story

If we get anything from this it will make a change. Our trips to the Abbey usually go in 3 stages: # M5 # A419 # Ar$ekicking.

How many points for BV tonight Zagar? You need to win before you start making gestures sonny.

Sounds all very sensible to me CIG. As long as the fans are happy to keep paying their money to watch a team with an obvious flaw that will end the season in august if it continues. If history tells a Wolves fan anything it's that Van Straaten & Adams will do nothing to address an issue until it starts to hurt in their wallets. That's why Tai ended up here in the first place.

And what has Piotr done to upset you? We best not start on next season otherwise one of the forum pedants will be moaning there should be a new thread

We're pretty much on the same hymn sheet Steve, however would disagree on one point. Did a bit of homework before first post as I recall someone else saying that all the top riders are inconsistent this season prior to yourself. Interesting reading if we use averages as the ultimate guide to performance. Issue 1 24/03 average-->6th june average (Except Ward starting issue 3 04/04 and Doyle issue 2 26/03). Zagar 8.64-->8.53 King 7.46-->6.73 Andersen 8.34-->8.00 Pedersen 8.12-->8.06 Iversen 9.12-->9.36 Karlsson 8.09-->6.93 Doyle 7.30-->7.75 Ward 9.07-->9.01 Kildemand 8.25-->8.22 Woffinden 9.20-->7.97 The only guy that isn't 'struggling' is the only one that I reckon it's realistic to compare Tai to at this time, Iversen (Ward not really rode enough meetings for a fair comparison). On that evidence Tai's plunge looks even worse. The rest look a marginal trend down with the exception of King (we all know why that happened) and Doyle's rise. The only thing to add would be that I think someone's looking for a swansong at Monmore next season

Seeing as I started the conversation, here's the reasons. # We have dropped points at home. The main reason is self evident. In order to repair the damage our team manager suggested that we would need to accumulate some away points to compensate. Strange that as I thought the team needed away points to supplement those gained at home in order to enhance their position in the league table. # The 2 best chances so far to garner big away points, at Birmingham when they were really struggling and Coventry where quite a few things were in our favour, ended up in defeats, for the same reason as the dropped home points. # Apart from the 'disagreement' between the rider and team manager live on Sky earlier in the season as to the what the issue(s) are we are being mushroom managed yet again. # As has been pointed out by others, the scores away from the EL are now as would be expected. # Joint top of the SGP standings. # Questions would be being asked about any other rider who had shed 13% off his starting average, certainly by the fans and probably by the promotion. Why should anyone be immune because of his current status within the sport? # Is the relationship between the rider and our team manager muddying the water in the search for a solution? # Is there financial advantage in a promotion having the World Champion in their team come what may? So should we replace him? You can only do that if there someone ready, willing, and able to do better and I can't see a viable alternative, others might. Unfortunately this leaves the rider as an 'untouchable'. It is then down to him and his professional pride to rectify the issues. We're into June and this hasn't happened yet, at least not as far as Wolves are concerned. There's a feeling that the team will 'surge' at the business end of the season, there's no green shoots as evidence of this yet as far as I can see. What was wrong 2 months ago is still wrong now. My interest is in the team, not the individual. What is needed now is a large dose of honesty from all concerned, quickly.

Would it be fair to ask whether a rider who has shed 13% off his starting average should be under pressure for his team place?

If 'fishy' = average dropping then it's plainly nonsense. The only change that'd be worth making on that basis would be Fred for Proctor I can't help going back to the early season Sky match. When asked what was wrong with Tai, Adams said 'engines'. 5 minutes later they asked Tai himself pointing out what Adams had said 'not engines' was the reply. Until we're told otherwise the 'best equipment isn't in GB' line would appear to be the most likely explanation. What concerns me is we were all delighted when Ty signed for Sheffield, myself included. Whatever benefits we were expecting haven't materialised, his scores for them are worse than for us. It was asking a lot to expect the 8+ rider to return this season even without the injury.

Reserves outscore opposite numbers 14 to 7 and we still lose. We've waited long enough, time for changes. Well ridden Fleas. Tell you what though Steve, there's something going on that shouldn't be.

If you were doing that it would have been called off a week last Tuesday

2 passes in 23 heats, blimey Gav, we are blessed TBH I am more of a mind they went past due to Darcy's mistakes. Anyway looking at the thread it appears, for a change, I'm not alone on this one

Don't often post on the PL side of the fence but your reserve scores paid 15 at home and you still lose . Someone, somewhere needs a kick up the ar$e.