stevehone

sounds to me like he will be happy to finish in the top 3 surely as England captain he should be saying he wants to finish in the top 1

there you are then, maybe that's just one of the England problems. if the captain thinks they can get 3rd, what do the rest of them think, and that's before they even know two of their oponents!!

so the GP's have ripped the heart out of what we used to get.

shame that, don't you have the cheapest airhorns

patriotism has been ripped out of the sport anyway ... how can anyone really 'follow' a team that is only in action once or twice a year? there are no test matches like we used to have, which gave us a chance to follow England and go to different tracks to support them. now, with the world cup being the only time they race, either there has to be a meeting in England, or people have to go abroad to see their national team, which surely can't be right. so, one meeting this year in England with the English team ... really makes you feel part of it doesn't it. and in the GP's ... the racejackets, riders used to be able to be proud of their flag on their chest, now all they get is a 2 inch block in the corner. i used to go and support England in test matches, in world cup, and in pairs if i could, but now there is no affinity to the team whatsoever for that one meeting per year. in my opinion, the GP circus has basically ripped the heart out of the sport when it comes to the national team, leaving no dates for any type of series and giving you the chance to support anyone.

well that's you and Christopher's Dad that want to take the piss, fair enough, do what you want ... always comes down to having a go at my riding when people run out of arguments. maybe you should come out of retirement and sell a few programmes, that'll help Team GB

maybe Nicholls should learn to whistle

that's right, but like i said earlier, there is nobody else, that's why the team picks itself, that's why there's no fighting for places, all of the riders there last night knew they'd be there as there's no competition for their places.

on a speedway track totally if only there were a few British riders like these about ...... can but hope. so come on J, who would you put in their place?

well all the Danes seemed to sing their national anthem on Saturday ... all comes back to pride and passion i reckon.

and as Star Lady said, it was also a fight for freedom of choice. that, basically, means i can support who i want in the Speedway World Cup, same as you, as you have that freedom too. i won't disagree about bringing on the youngsters, limit the number of foreigners that ride in the UK ... lets have the riders that want to ride in our leagues, not just here to take the money then get out when they want.

no, you'll be cheering them for not winning ... point i made earlier.

trees, get my drift

tough ** then really, i'll watch the Russians and the Danes, far more exciting than GB at the moment bar Chris Harris. they don't need to be the best, but i like to see exciting riders. as i said in my post, the team picks itself, as there is no quality around yet to force their way in, and maybe that's part of the reason why things have gone stale, same old team, same old manager, same old people creaming their underwear when Middlo's name is mentioned ... what Team GB needs is competition for places, and until that happens they will win jack schit. ok, Kennett has made his way in, but who else? who else is there to really push and bring out the competitive side in the team? and you're talking about 'poor show', well maybe you ought to be saying that to all the Team GB supporters that get oh so excited when GB come 2nd, 3rd, or 4th ... sorry, that means they LOST. i want GB to become a proper speedway force again, to have riders that are exciting to watch, not be 'expected' to lose.

maybe you should get someone to do it for you

Chris Harris is the first rider to come along to actually give us something to cheer about for a few years ... Kenny Carter, Mark Loram, Mike Lee, PC, Morton ... we haven't had anyone like them for a long time, when we do, then maybe i'll cheer for them.

erm .. where in my post did i mention anything about my riding?? did you ever beat Bob Kilby out the gate then? f'jack

because it's my perogative. yeah i don't like some of the GB team, and i think it needs a fresh approach, every year it's the same thing 'who will Middlo pick this year' etc, and to be honest, with GB the team picks itself, there's no-one else able to come in and do a job. because of this i think it's time for a change, it's all gone stale, year after year everyone creams if GB make the final, and if they get close to winning something they get treated as though they have won something ... that's the wrong way to be, 2nd is a loser, so is 3rd etc. in Poland GB might have a chance, but i expect Harris to fly the flag, with Nicholls possibly getting double figures, and the rest tailing off quite badly. the only way GB will do anything in Poland is if Iversen and Bjerre have a nightmare, and Australia's long tail struggle, but then i'd put more money on Australia's tail than GB's. maybe it's about attitude, maybe it's about application, but to me, i'm not excited by watching Team GB. on Saturday i changed my avatar to Russian because i've heard so much about some of these youngsters, and was excited and looking forward to seeing them, and last night i wasn't disappointed. i spent the evening cheering for Russia against the USA as GB were expected to get 55 - 60, and if they didn't in that semi then they would have really needed their arses kicked. i will spend Thursday cheering the Russians, and on Saturday i will cheer for who i want. this comes up every year, and it's always the same people asking the questions and getting rubbishty about things, but there are people on this forum that can choose to cheer on whoever they want ... there is no rule that says if you are British you must cheer Team GB. i don't like most of the team, i agree, but there's nothing there that makes me want to cheer for them, other than Chris Harris.

shooting star will be on later ... but i think i know what the answer will be

you forgot Richardson with England football, i used to go to every home game, and lots of away games following my team, shouting at away players, slagging them off, for 9 months of the year ... why do i then want to go and cheer for them for one night?

oh dear, did someone say something not nice about Mr Middlo's team

but a lot easier if you are riding a track week in week out.

and you'll be one jumping up and down celebrating on Saturday if GB do better than 4th, and if they don't you'll still be saying how brilliant they were to get there and how proud you are.

typical GB attitude i'm afraid. seriously need to look at this result as, although good for confidence, it was against three teams that were poor and made to look better than they are, and also on a track very well known by the GB team. Saturday will be a completely different meeting, and a 3rd place will be all GB can hope for at best. maybe i'll be proved wrong, but i just can't understand the number of threads on here congratulating GB, they've done nothing yet other than have a practise meeting on their own track.

against poorer oposition it can make you look better