stevehone

why do you think they had 'special' machinery? spent time on it ... maybe spent money on it ... maybe set it up better ... probably able to ride it better ... hmmm Denmark were quick too, did they have 'special' machinery?

have you ever heard of the saying 'flogging a dead horse'?

is disgraceful the word you think should have been used?

problem you have is that Brighton and Cardiff are still to an extent novelty, one off events ... if you started having more of them you wouldn't get anyone going to watch. have a look at the Brighton thread from 7 months ago and see how many people are fed up with that and won't be bothering again. i went to the first one at Brighton and not bothered about going any more, i went to one at Birmingham NEC, and i went to all the Wembley indoor meetings and i can't say i would go to any more

never know trees, a few changes, a better attitude, and i might, just might, have an England avatar. then if it is in England, there will be no excuses about home track advantage.

didn't last year

i still think it needs to be a management TEAM ... one for technical, one as a man motivator, and possibly someone else to sort all the admin side of the team, making sure they all have their passports etc

Marek Cieslak to take over England? proven track record, world cup winner

yep, an ex rider at international level, and who said he has to be English?

but was he there? that's what i'm getting at ... they need someone THERE to see the conditions. ok, set a bike up 'for Poland', but the track could have been in any condition, with any weather ... he needs to be there.

why? England had their chance last year but didn't make the most of it, Poland did.

directions to the stadium and precious little else i expect

he's a Dane

i grew up supporting Wimbledon home and away at speedway and football so can't really be classed as a glory hunter, and certainly won't be shouting for the red scum at any point, AFC Wimbledon yes, red scum no. if you want a list of Danes coming through, look at Speedway Star pages 48, 49, and 50 and take yer pick, and while you're there, make note of some Poles and Swedes too ... by the way, you won't find any English there for some reason. i'm quite happy watching league racing, but when it comes to international success England are struggling somewhat ... the world cup is a team event and the fact that England struggle so much does that mean that they go into the competition as individuals, unlike the Swedes, Poles, and Danes? what the team needs is a completely different outlook to the 2 meetings per year that England are in ... management, 2 or 3 people to run it. one there as a people person, a motivator, another there to look after anything in the background for making sure the riders don't get unnecessary hassle, and another for the tactics ... maybe even someone like Michael Lee there in the pits as an advisor for engine setups and technical issues. its not like its a full time job for all those people, the world cup is one week in the year.

what i'm now saying?? erm ... to refresh .... do they ring any bells? thought not

as mentioned, Chris Harris is a product of the grasstrack scene that is disappearing unfortunately, and 5 years ago there was a long list of Enlish riders too but what good has it done us?

well he's had 7 years which is longer than anyone else that won nothing. i don't blame him, but it needs a fresh input from somewhere, and soon.

England last won the world cup in 1989, and possibly only won that because of horrible misfortune, and last won it prior to that in 1980 ... just how many years are you going to be saying 'our time will come'? England are supposed to be a 'top' speedway nation but that sort of record is indefensible, it's just not good enough. the rot had started before Jens Rasmussen and that German were allowed into the National League at Rye House, but i have to say, since then it has certainly made things harder. what needs to be done, and it's been said before many times, is get back to grass roots, start kids young, and don't price them out of the sport before they get to shine. get kids riding, give them the chance to ride, and don't make stupid rules to stop them. last year the Cardiff GP should have had Lewis Bridger in as reserve, but the FIM ruling was that he was too young even though he was riding against the worlds best week in week out. another thing that hasn't helped is the decline in grasstrack in the UK. so many good speedway riders used to learn their trade in schoolboy grasstrack before moving onto speedway and becoming successful, but where is grasstrack going now?

watch it Rusky, you'll have Shazzybird and Barney Kennett after you!

funny actually, when i have an argument that someone can't argue with they make a comment either about my riding or my photography Sharron, Edward Kennett around big tracks was terrible, like i said, no good winning a meeting at Rye House and looking great if the next round is on a big Polish track. he certainly seemed to be improving though so maybe there's something to build on, but to be honest, he should have left Rye House sooner than he did and gone to a bigger track to adapt his skills. how many times did you actually see him at Rye House? once or twice? then how many times did you see him at a big track like Kings Lynn? ever? if you are going to be a good international rider, for whatever country, you need to master the big Polish tracks ... for a start you know there will always be round of the world cup in Poland, and you know they will have 2 GP's every year. don't get too many of them around a Rye House size track. if people can't understand that, and Barney can't see that, then maybe he has the wrong advisors.

the will to win?

yep, can't disagree with that. fairyboy

or were they just made to look slow? the lines you ride on track can add a lot more speed.

no pink cowboy hat, but seen the picture of him wearing fairy wings and holding his fairy wand. if the cap (or shiny tiara) fits SB

Mauger Magic touched on a very good point about the 'we can win it in 5 years' comment. well 5 years ago we were being told that there is a great crop of young English riders coming through and we'll be there winning the competition, riders like Stead, Harris, Allen, Kennett, Howe, and all these will fit nicely with Scott Nicholls. so, correct me if i'm wrong, but wasn't that crop of youngsters from 5 years ago there last night (apart from injured Howe ... maybe he would have been the difference, who knows?) if you want to know the real reasons why England failed last night, get the Speedway Star and open it to pages 48, 49, and 50. look for the bit that says FIM 80cc Youth Gold Trophy, then look at all the riders involved ... NOT ONE ENGLISH RIDER, disgusting. look at all the nationalities that are there though ... and then think about who is winning the world cup. Middlo (and i don't know the bloke so how can i dislike him Shazzybird) has had something like 7 years doing the job, maybe he came in with a 3 year plan or a 5 year plan or something, maybe even a 12 year plan, i don't know, but i'm sorry, i think we need changes. we need fresh ideas as things seem to have gone very stale, and unfortunately last night proved it. also Shazzybird, you say i've upset Barney in some of my comments about Edward Kennett (like you've never upset anyone with some of your comments on this forum)... well unfortunately sometimes you have to have a serious look at yourself and see where you're going wrong ... i always said Kennett is not a big track rider, and my feelings haven't changed. he NEEDS to be getting experience at proper big tracks ... it's not good him riding Rye House in an U21 qualifier and being brilliant if the next round is in Poland and guess what, big fast track. the same goes for all of the English riders ... the tracks here are no good for competing in world speedway. a new track is built, and it's 280 meters ... what good is that for the national future? now is the time to make changes, to make a start on getting things right, ok the riders pick themselves on the whole, but a new voice of motivation is needed. no i don't know who it should be, Ian Thomas and Eric Boocock maybe , but it certainly needs a change. *edit* and another thing, last week at King's Lynn I apparently witnessed history being made. 6 heats of 250cc speedway racing. why the hell has it taken this long??