Fourentee

Ellesmere Port, Barrow, Milton Keynes

Because neither of those would give Woffinden a passing glance, would they?

Yes, there is the merest scintilla of a possibility that Tai might just squeeze into the manager's thoughts.

And your answer, robert, to this one is?

Which of those four do you expect to score more points than Woffinden would?

Ah, you haven't done the research. Well, there's today's biggest surprise.

Ah, you've done the research then?

Well, someone has to tackle the job and we would probably need a volunteer.

One of these days, perhaps, it might dawn that you saying something (repeatedly) doesn't actually make it so. Tai does not owe British speedway. He came back to Britain, he signed for clubs, he rode, he got paid. Do you feel you owe your job or profession anything other than the time you give in return for payment?

Just when you thought it couldn't get better...

It's a possibility in the sense that I may possibly win the National Lottery on Saturday, Aston Villa may possibly win the Championship, FA Cup and Capital One Cup next season, Shergar may possibly win the Derby and one of your posts may possibly contain something sensible instead of being made up as you go on.

Even by the admittedly low standard of your posts that one smacks of desperation.

Interesting question and of course the 'red line' would vary from individual to individual so I suspect no consensus view would emerge. For me, broadly -- and of course the devil is in the detail -- not making himself available for World Cup selection would lower my esteem (not, rightly, that that should bother him one iota).

Having just watched the footage, tremendous ride from Clegg. As an aside, that was a cunning old dog corner from Karlsson to stop Fricke coming back round him.

Money aside, I agree. The legacy of the history books calls. It's clearly a tough ask to get up to the Mauger/Rickardsson half-dozen, but obviously Tai has two in the bag already and looks a genuine contender, at worst, for a third this year. And at 25, injury and willingness permitting, time is on his side. Fingers crossed.

I take the point, but if the thrust of the argument for some posters is that the importance/PR success of the event is diminished by the absence of certain riders, then presumably it makes sense to do what one can, within reason, to give those riders the chance to appear. As to the second issue, all riders have the opportunity to earn abroad or in GPs. Not all have the ability to do so. And, yes, before anyone points it out, Woffinden had the benefit of wildcard selections initially but that is surely more of an indictment of the level of British talent.

Perhaps not everyone is in agreement with your opinion that Tai decided in the winter not to ride the final.

What, in Manchester?!

Bit of a two-edged sword there, Rob me old mate!

He is a Wolves asset (and speedway's asset system is, to apply a clunky metaphor, a whole different ball game), but as per the posts of waihekeaces1 and Danny Smith is not currently contracted to ride for them or any EL club. Danny, as to your answer on the second point, I'd be by no means sure that the authorities could compel anyone to ride with any confidence that their actions could survive a legal challenge, despite the actions of other federations.

I'd be the last one to ask but I would have thought an AI system could work well there. But I suspect, as per the running theme through this thread, that cost vs market would be the issue.

Wozniak has signed for both a Polish club and a British one. His Polish club have evidently pulled rank. Woffinden has not signed for a British club, despite your proclaimed willingness to force him to do so. There is, therefore, no relevance in your comparison. Tai is doing what's best for British speedway, winning world championships and leading his country's team with great distinction. I'm not aware of any regulation which states that a rider must take part in the country's domestic championship. Such a statute, particularly one with an implied or explicit threat to withdraw a competition licence, would surely have no chance of being stood up in a court of law. It has long been evident from the thrust of your argument, if I can distinguish it by such a term, that the rule of law would hold little sway under your doubtless benign dictatorship. What a bitter pill that must be.

Not the same, of course, and no solo variant as far as I know, but MCS is an excellent speedway card game for two or four players. There's a video run through here. https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/139728/mcs Edit: The highly-rated football card game Hat-Trick is from the same stable.

You're still struggling with the whole concept of contracts, are you not? You cannot force a rider to return to Britain and sign a contract with a club, despite your expressed wishes to the contrary. Similarly, once a rider has put his name on the dotted line, then the contractual obligations contained therein are in force. You've ridden for clubs; you must have signed, presumably, and been aware that you had to turn up as required at the allotted time. Is it really so difficult to understand?

I frequently go off with some kind of internal combustion at Gavan's posts but IMHO that's a very fair analysis of the situation even if one disagrees with the conclusions.