Tomasz Gollob

[tomcat]

Well working on those figures given above, for Sweden and Poland and

basing it on scoring the combined 251 points, that worked out at £2290.836

per point.

As I said, I have no axe to grind with Tomasz, if he has the nounce to negotiate

that kind of money and the Swedes and Poles pay it, thats their look out.

 

But I do agree, how can any club expect to stay in business paying that

kind of money to any rider is beyond me.

 

[Mateusz]

But I do agree, how can any club expect to stay in business paying that

kind of money to any rider is beyond me.

But they do stay in business somehow. Czestochowa was the only club having problems with money fluency last season. They paid their debts after all and will be racing in Ekstraliga next year (although their line-up is rather poor, as for the Ekstraliga standards).

 

Anyway, the best Ekstraliga clubs' budgets have reached 8 million zlotys now (1,75 mln pounds) so guys like Gollob, Pedersen or Crump can get nearly 2 mln zlotys from their Polish teams. Almost 50% of Gorzow's budget will go just to cover Gollob and Pedersen this year. There are big sponsors in Polish speedway, we have 10 thousand fans at a league match every Sunday (that's the average) so it just works ... and thanks to this, in the heat 15 of Bydgoszcz v Gorzow match, we will get to watch Emil & AJ v Gollob & Pedersen in a battle of life or death - what can be more exciting?

 

Personally I think Gollob deserves all the money he earns. Speedway riders risk their lives while footballers or tennis players earning usually much more risk nothing. A simple example - Gollob earned 4,8 mln zlotys last year and was ranked #9, while Liverpool's ex goalie, Jerzy Dudek (#6), earned 6 mln zlotys for doing nothing the whole year (ok, for showing up a few times at Real Madrid trainings)

Edited February 10, 2010 by Mateusz

[Dexter]

Hmmm... considering Polish clubs where Gollob rode.... we get Bydgoszcz and Tarnow. Both of them experienced financial turmoil while he was there. In both cases he had to wait for his money and those were quite large sums. Once Gollob left both clubs raised from ashes within a year or two and managed to get things organized.

 

Still, Gollob is a real team leader and is worth good money.

 

Yes, Polish found a way to stay in business. Just like Bydgoszcz did in 2002 or 2003. The sinking club was demised and new club was founded instead. That apparently resulted in having all the debts waived. Slight change in the name and all debts are gone. This is how many Polish clubs stayed in business when the turmoil occurred. So typical...

[Mateusz]

Hmmm... considering Polish clubs where Gollob rode.... we get Bydgoszcz and Tarnow. Both of them experienced financial turmoil while he was there. In both cases he had to wait for his money and those were quite large sums. Once Gollob left both clubs raised from ashes within a year or two and managed to get things organized.

Gollob was not the reason of the Bydgoszcz financial trouble 7-8 years ago. Sh!t management and local politicians messing in the club destroyed it then, among the others.

 

Yes, Polish found a way to stay in business. Just like Bydgoszcz did in 2002 or 2003. The sinking club was demised and new club was founded instead. That apparently resulted in having all the debts waived. Slight change in the name and all debts are gone. This is how many Polish clubs stayed in business when the turmoil occurred. So typical...

Nothing like this would work out anymore now. A lot has changed since then, each club's finances must be fully transparent.

 

Are Gorzow in any trouble having Gollob on board? Nope.

 

You cannot compare the present situation to what we had almost 10 years ago. Or maybe you have not read any news since you left to Oz?

Edited February 10, 2010 by Mateusz

[Mama]

Yes, Polish found a way to stay in business. Just like Bydgoszcz did in 2002 or 2003. The sinking club was demised and new club was founded instead. That apparently resulted in having all the debts waived. Slight change in the name and all debts are gone. This is how many Polish clubs stayed in business when the turmoil occurred. So typical...

The "new" club took the speedway part from the "old" club - also with its debts which were paid in next years! So stop writing so stupid things!

[Dexter]

Have a look at Ostrow - what happened there and how. Ask Bjerre why he missed some of the meetings in Gdansk. Ask Richardson why he left Czestochowa. Ask Nicholls about his money in Wroclaw. Finally, ask PZM how many clubs got their 2010 license straight ahead. Then you will find out if the statement below is true...

 

Nothing like this would work out anymore now. A lot has changed since then, each club's finances must be fully transparent.

Edited February 11, 2010 by Dexter

[Deano]

Does it really matter? There are plenty of Football clubs in financial difficulties each year... but the salaries are still paid.

 

For me Gollob is earning what all top riders should be earning. He's got it mostly on default for being Polish, but you can't question the guy is talented. Surely you can't take any of that away from him... while clubs will pay it.. let him earn it.

[Mateusz]

Have a look at Ostrow - what happened there and how. Ask Bjerre why he missed some of the meetings in Gdansk. Ask Richardson why he left Czestochowa. Ask Nicholls about his money in Wroclaw. Finally, ask PZM how many clubs got their 2010 license straight ahead. Then you will find out if the statement below is true...

1) Ostrow was not an Ekstraliga team (and we are discussing Ekstraliga here...). Anyway, they went bankrupt and have to start from scratch in the lowest Division now (even if they had stayed in Division 1 somehow, they would be starting with their new club from Division 2 now).

2) Gdansk paid him off eventually.

3) Richardsson was paid off eventually as well. Otherwise Czestochowa would not have got the licence to ride in Ekstraliga in 2010.

4) Nicholls and Wroclaw is a different kind of story - they didn't want to pay him all the money because of his utterly rubbish performances throughout the whole season. Still, they had to pay him off (or agree with him anyhow) - otherwise they would not have got the licence!

 

Doesn't matter how many clubs got their licences straight away - they had to pay off their riders in the end - otherwise they would not have been given their licences for the 2010.

 

What I am trying to say is - in the past clubs could sign virtual contracts and deepen their debts more and more ... Now it's impossible (alright, with little delays in a few cases) - unless you pay off your riders you won't be given your licence for the next year, simple as. And I'm not saying the financial condition of every club is perfect, it depends on various factors such as sponsorship, attendance at the matches, management, marketing etc. Some clubs are doing it better (Zielona Gora) are some doing it worse (Czestochowa) but all in all - unless you pay off your riders till the deadline (with minor exceptions for conflict situations like Wroclaw & Nicholls etc.), you won't ride in Ekstraliga next year. Which means no one can sign contracts they won't be able to pay off any more (unlike how it was around 10 years ago...). Czestochowa struggled last year because of their reasons but they paid off their riders in the end, now they have a crappy line-up for 2010 but they are still in the business, even as an outsider, theoretically. And looking at the line-ups of the rest of the teams it doesn't look their finances are in big trouble - we have 7 competitive teams with all top riders and 1 theoretical outsider in Ekstraliga in 2010. It does not look bad, IMHO.

 

The point was - how a club paying Gollob so much money can stay in business. Well, looks like somehow they (Gorzow) can. If you can't afford him, you won't have him, simple as. Otherwise Rawicz would have offered him 3 mln zlotys, got him for one season, the people of that little town would have got to admire the master for one year... Then Rawicz would have gone bankrupt and Gollob would have gone somewhere else. It doesn't happen though.

Edited February 11, 2010 by Mateusz

[Dexter]

What I am trying to say is - in the past clubs could sign virtual contracts and deepen their debts more and more ... Now it's impossible (alright, with little delays in a few cases) - unless you pay off your riders you won't be given your licence for the next year, simple as.

 

Yeah, totally agree. Polish have advanced in that matter and that is the right direction they are heading. Apparently, exceptions happen (there were some issues around Gdansk which read about on Polish websites). What ticks me off is that fact that you and Polish seem to be treating delays as something natural. No, it is not natural although not rare. What does it mean 'paid him eventually'? The guy had to wait for his money - sometimes for months - and it is absolutely not right. I don't think these practises happen in Poland only but Poland is one country where they happen on regular basis and are something absolutely natural. I am aware that they happen in business between companies all over the world but riders are more like contractors who usually should be paid their wages within certain period of time. For example, when Bohumil Brhel rode in Rzeszow in 2003, his agreement stated that he should receive payment for participating in a meeting within 10 working days. If he wasn't paid in that time frame, the contract could have been cancelled.

 

As for Ostrow - whether they are in ekstraliga or not - doesn't matter. What matters is that the club in debts has been demised and now there is a new club instead. Same thing was done to Lublin one year ago and to Gdansk around 3 years ago. So practises like that keep happening in Poland. Not in ekstraliga though, I agree.

 

The point was - how a club paying Gollob so much money can stay in business. Well, looks like somehow they (Gorzow) can. If you can't afford him, you won't have him, simple as.

 

My point was that his previous clubs went through financial turmoil while he was on board. Bydgoszcz - because of poor management who wanted to keep him there at any cost. Tarnow - because of sponsorship issues. Gorzow looks stronger at least from my point of view. I am assuming that Gorzow promoter speaks truth and they are really surrounded by sponsors. If so - dropping one of the major sponsors should not cause turmoil similar to the ones Bydgoszcz and Tarnow went through.

Edited February 11, 2010 by Dexter

[Mama]

No, Poland isn't one country where delays happen on regular basis and are something absolutely natural! Just look at Sweden - Smederna bankrupted but there are some riders who started there few years ago and still didn't get their money; Vastervik had lot of problems with delays; if you look more carefuly at another clubs, you'll probably find more ...

[Dexter]

Mama... you didn't really get my point. It wasn't to show that Poland is the only country where problems like that happen. But is the only speedway country where these delays are considered to be something natural. If you read Mat's post you will see that it looks like 'oh, they were all eventually paid, so in fact nothing happened'. This isn't right attitude. At least this is the way I understood it...

[Mama]

OK - but the point is that in Poland a lot is changing! For now in Extraleague, but in few years in another leagues also, there is no place for statement "they were all eventually paid" - the clubs have to paid all their debts till the end of October - if not, they don't get the licences for next year! The clubs from 1st and 2nd leagues also shouldn't have any debts at the and of October but eventually they could sign the agreements with the riders with the paing schedule!

 

After you leave Poland you started to complain for all things connected with Poland and not to see any problems in another countries (especially Australia ) - try to look fair at the problems in various countries! Try to ask ex Smederna riders about their money or try to ask Tomasz Gollob or another Vastervik riders about their money and paying schedules!

Edited February 13, 2010 by Mama

[scousedave]

I am not critcising Poland but i agree with Dexter that it is not right that riders like Lee Richardson should wait months and months before they get paid monies that are owed to them.

 

That is not right - do you agree?

[Dexter]

It may be not right but "they all got eventually paid". Looks like Polish have no problem with this, at least the ones on this forum... Instead of admitting it is not ok they do their usual "look what others do". So there is no problem because others do something else.

 

On the other hand... riders should sign agreements that protect their interests. Such as "payments should be transferred into selected account within let's say 10 working days" or something like that.

 

Swedes seem to have problems these days too as Mama mentioned. Looks like disease which originally had its roots in Poland in 90-ties, is now spreading throughout speedway world.

 

For now in Extraleague, but in few years in another leagues also, there is no place for statement "they were all eventually paid" - the clubs have to paid all their debts till the end of October - if not, they don't get the licences for next year!

 

Theoretically... if it was used in practise, Wroclaw and Czestochowa would now not be in Extraleague.

Edited February 16, 2010 by Dexter

[Mama]

I am not critcising Poland but i agree with Dexter that it is not right that riders like Lee Richardson should wait months and months before they get paid monies that are owed to them.

 

That is not right - do you agree?

Of course I totally agree - it is not right! And most Poles also agree with that ... The problem is Dexter, after he left Poland, started to blame his native country for all World problems! The same here - he wrote Poland is ONLY country not paying riders at time - and you rather agree such statement is stupid! Let's read next Dexter's post:

 

Swedes seem to have problems these days too as Mama mentioned. Looks like disease which originally had its roots in Poland in 90-ties, is now spreading throughout speedway world.

Of course!! And World economic crisis also started in Poland! Dexter - a lot of Poles know you hate your native country, but showing this at the international forum is rather stupid thing ...

 

[Vic Ridgeon]

As a general point can I just say what an interesting article that is!

 

I'd be interested to see a similar league table for British sports people and it would be even more interesting to see how many people would need to be included on such a list before a British speedway rider features (who presumably would be one of Harris, Nicholls, Richardson or Woffinden...)

[Ghostwalker]

an article about Tomasz Gollob:

 

http://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/moto...ticle6657310.ab

[Alan_Jones]

an article about Tomasz Gollob:

 

http://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/moto...ticle6657310.ab

 

For the Swedishly challenged, thanks to Google;

 

Gollob want to take gold

 

Tomasz Gollob is 38 years but has no plans to quit.

 

Third in 2008 and runner-up last year, maybe three-stage rocket Tomasz Gollob lift 2010

 

Polish speedway driver Tomasz Gollob is 38 years. But he is far from being calculated. He has several World Cup medals, it is only the noblest denomination missing. Perhaps 2010 years when he finally take World Cup gold.

 

- Third place 2008, second 2009 ... It is taken only one step, "said the Pole to the Speedway Racing.

 

From the Swedish horizon, you can get the idea that Speedway is huge in Poland.

 

So it is not. Speedway - zuzlow in Polish - is the fourth largest sports and running most of the smaller cities.

 

But most Poles know Tomasz Gollob. 38-year-old from the industrial city of Bydgoszcz has long dominated the Polish speedway scene.

 

Meeting by the River

 

We meet in the city centre, at a restaurant on the river Brda. As usual, he joined by his manager Tomasz Gaszynski.

 

Gollob understand English very well, but he talks less and prefer to formulate their response in Polish. He is relaxed and at times very funny.

 

- I started with the speedway when I was 16 years, but drove a motorcycle from an early age. Before I went over to the speedway, I was pretty good in motocross and motorcycle. I am still practicing motocross, "says Tomasz Gollob.

 

How much speedway train you? There is talk of running almost every day.

 

- No, the season I'm training someone once a week. But I mean constantly testing new technologies, motors and so on.

 

You may use the track in Bydgoszcz even though you are competing for Gorzow?

 

- Yes, how much I want. Which is where I started and it is the track in my hometown. I'm not running for the club is not just an economic issue. I had a need to change the environment, says Gollob.

 

In Sweden, in 2010 he makes his tenth season in Västervik, as highlighted by a commemorative event in the summer. In England, he drove to Ipswich, but it belongs to the past.

 

- I learned a lot over the years in England, especially on different tracks. Where I won everything possible to win, became the champion with the team and was the best driver on the cut list. There was nothing left to strive for. At the same time however, only the Grand Prix series and the leagues in Poland and Sweden. It can not be too many competitions. I want to be at home sometimes.

 

Are you married?

 

- No, but I live with the same woman for many years. Her name Brygida. We have a daughter. She is eleven years old and named Victoria.

 

Although Thomas Gollob completing 39 years in April, he has no thoughts of submitting the shoe to towed metal recovery.

 

- I run with ten-year plans and has just started a new ... Seriously, I think many drivers stop too soon. A guy like Greg Hancock should be able to hold on until he is 45 years. Least.

 

How do you see your competitors?

 

- I would not tell them I'm running against.

 

Drivers Hans Nielsen and Tony Rickardsson, then?

 

- The sky has many stars, but those two shone brighter than all others. Tony was the one I looked at the extra care. He always had the best stuff and trying to constantly improve themselves.

 

In terms of the team World Cup, World Junior Championships in Poland and the league is the world's leading speedway nation. Yet, you just got up an individual world champion - Jerzy Szczakiel 1973rd Why?

 

- Since the mid-1970s, we've been behind in the competition material. Zenon Plech was certainly able to win the World Cup, but then got the drivers from the western front fyrventilare ... It is only in recent years we have caught up and got as good material as any other.

 

Many believe that you could win the World Cup, but that you have been fragmented and unfocused.

 

- I disagree with that. It is a matter of inferior stuff.

 

What are you looking for världsmästarämne the next generation of Polish speedway rider?

 

- There are many, but I do not want to talk about my competitors.

 

The more want to talk about Tomasz Gollob. Do not count out veteran in this year's World Cup series. 38 years is no age at a speedway rider.

 

Ivan Mauger took his sixth and last world title 1979th Then he was 40th

 

- Third place 2008, second 2009 ... It is taken only one step, "said Tomasz Gollob.

 

Footnote: The interview published in full in the coming issue of Speedway Racing.

 

Tommy Rander

 

[Mateusz]

Are you married?

 

- No, but I live with the same woman for many years. Her name Brygida. We have a daughter. She is eleven years old and named Victoria.

Misunderstanding or a mistake in translationg but he's been married since 1997.

 

[Dexter]

Could have been something with the translation. See here:

 

Speedway - zuzlow in Polish

 

Should be ZUZEL apparently. ZUZLOW makes no sense.

Edited February 24, 2010 by Dexter