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Should Tai Woffinden Ride For Team Gb ?


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As a businessman he is entitled to spend his money wherever he wants, however ……… It drives me mad to see foreign riders covered in British compnies names, (usually the kid of riders who have several bikes in several countries and over a dozen engines), while young Brits struggle on with second hand equipment then get berated for not performing well.

I can understand individual rider sponsorship fair enough.

 

But to back a Speedway nation against your own country I find very galling.

 

Its not even as though his club had any connection with any of the Aussie riders.

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Perhaps tonight will finally settle these arguments about Tai. I thought that he rode his socks off for his Country tonight and seemed to be encouraging the other Riders all the while too, as a good Captain should.

 

I wish him well for the future and long may he continue to ride for GREAT BRITAIN!!!

Edited by The White Knight
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Pleased with the performance of the GB team. They did really well and probably surpassed everyone's expectations. They can be proud of what they have achieved. And as has been said, the OP's original question has now been answered.

 

NOT pleased with Jason Doyle's pre-meeting comments - I hope that GB have made him eat his words.

 

Disappointed to hear Tai's comments in his post-match interview that the BSPA haven't delivered on their promises made 3 years ago in relation to an agreed 5-year plan. As Tai said, let's hope that this performance is the "kick up their bum" that the BSPA need.

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Can't believe that a british promoter funded the Aussie WTF?

 

It always annoys me when British fans are waving Aussie , USA flags let alone a promoter sponsoring them

 

Jason Doyle perhaps should choose his words a bit more wisely in future

 

Well done GB and Poland were deserved winners

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Pleased with the performance of the GB team. They did really well and probably surpassed everyone's expectations. They can be proud of what they have achieved. And as has been said, the OP's original question has now been answered.

 

NOT pleased with Jason Doyle's pre-meeting comments - I hope that GB have made him eat his words.

 

Disappointed to hear Tai's comments in his post-match interview that the BSPA haven't delivered on their promises made 3 years ago in relation to an agreed 5-year plan. As Tai said, let's hope that this performance is the "kick up their bum" that the BSPA need.

Let us in on this plan Tai so we can see what your ideas are for the future of British League Speedway ....
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Let us in on this plan Tai so we can see what your ideas are for the future of British League Speedway ....

 

Re: Jason Doyle's comments....

I've never liked the bloke since he deliberately covered me in wet shale at Leicester [riding for Somerset] (That's another story) and since he lost his rag over the lines left by rakers at Leicester, riding for Leicester, [they put him off!] (That's another, nother story!)

 

But that statement was a bit mardy arsed if you ask me......

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Oh dear, the grapes that Doyley has had are very sour it seems.

What a pathetic comment to make.

How can a weak team come 2nd??

Definition of a weak team? See the Czech Republic team when they hosted.

Now, THAT is what you call a weak team.

 

A weak team would be one that is adrift of the others.

 

Ok, Tai did the bulk of the scoring however the rest all made fair contributions.

Not weak.

 

Any likeable qualities he had have disappeared after that comment.

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Let us in on this plan Tai so we can see what your ideas are for the future of British League Speedway ....

 

Not sure that the word "league" is part of Tai's plans. I think what Tai wants is for British riders to be developed to higher standards than they are currently achieving. I don't think he wan't to be the sole Brit in the SGP series and I think he'd like Team GB to win a SWC...to do that you need a squad of riders of world standard.

 

I suspect that this is where he is in conflict with the BSPA. Tai sees the bigger picture and your average British speedway promoter can't see beyond their own stadium car park.

 

The Poles have managed to run a successful league and have a SWC team full of former World u21 Champions so developing the riding talent and running a league are not mutually exclusive. I think that what Tai wants is for the BSPA to sort their act out and to try to emulate what he sees is working elsewhere and for GB to be a force on the world stage again.

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Not sure that the word "league" is part of Tai's plans. I think what Tai wants is for British riders to be developed to higher standards than they are currently achieving. I don't think he wan't to be the sole Brit in the SGP series and I think he'd like Team GB to win a SWC...to do that you need a squad of riders of world standard.

 

I suspect that this is where he is in conflict with the BSPA. Tai sees the bigger picture and your average British speedway promoter can't see beyond their own stadium car park.

 

The Poles have managed to run a successful league and have a SWC team full of former World u21 Champions so developing the riding talent and running a league are not mutually exclusive. I think that what Tai wants is for the BSPA to sort their act out and to try to emulate what he sees is working elsewhere and for GB to be a force on the world stage again.

Correct, when you look at the scores last night in the SWC the three riders apart from Tai just needed to score another couple of points each and we would have been pushing Poland for the win.

Danny, Craig, Robert and a few of the younger Brits like the Worralls, etc we have coming through should all have more training opportunities and international meetings and be encouraged to ride on the continent.

Even in the UK we should have a few under 21 or 23 meetings against say Australia as they all ride in the UK anyway, then a few more meetings abroad against the Poles and Danes.

I know it is tough with the schedules but time needs to be made for training and these type of meetings.

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Well they have done one thing, built a polishesque track, BV. Good start .....

 

Poland are so lucky, they have everything in place, as we all know it's not so easy here, no 24\7 tracks, no huge sponsors/promoters, no state owned tracks, few speedway only tracks, small crowds, hardly any funding from tv companies ...... our boys face an uphill battle.

 

Perhaps Tai would like to use his influence in Poland to get Robert Lambert a team spot and macinery chucked at him, he certainly has the talent.

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Well they have done one thing, built a polishesque track, BV. Good start .....

 

Poland are so lucky, they have everything in place, as we all know it's not so easy here, no 24\7 tracks, no huge sponsors/promoters, no state owned tracks, few speedway only tracks, small crowds, hardly any funding from tv companies ...... our boys face an uphill battle.

 

Perhaps Tai would like to use his influence in Poland to get Robert Lambert a team spot and macinery chucked at him, he certainly has the talent.

And while is at it we can ask him to do the following;

 

Build a some hostels for the homeless.

 

Donate some more to his local hospital

 

Build some soup kitchens

 

Donate some food to the all the food banks in the UK.

 

Build a track in Poland and start his own team for British riders to join.

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I think as some have stated u21 matches/series v Denmark , Poland , Sweden, Czech, Russia etc home & away would good idea

 

Tour down under aus & nz

 

Training camps perhaps,

 

Perhaps a full time under 21 coach?

 

Funding perhaps the promoter who funded Australia could start the ball rolling

Edited by Ken Morgan
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Well they have done one thing, built a polishesque track, BV. Good start .....

 

Poland are so lucky, they have everything in place, as we all know it's not so easy here, no 24\7 tracks, no huge sponsors/promoters, no state owned tracks, few speedway only tracks, small crowds, hardly any funding from tv companies ...... our boys face an uphill battle.

 

Perhaps Tai would like to use his influence in Poland to get Robert Lambert a team spot and macinery chucked at him, he certainly has the talent.

 

There seems to be an assumption that the fairy godmother flew over Poland, waved her magic wand and all was well with speedway in that country all of a sudden.

 

It needs to be remembered that in the 1970's and 1980's when the British League was the best in the world, and we here had all the advantages, Poland was still in the hands of the Communists. "Austerity" as we think we know it in the UK today was positive oppulence compared to what the Poles had (or didn't have) at that time. Polish stadiums back then were much like Buxton or Somerset. What you see today in Gorzow or Torun are recent developments, investments in the future and rewards for recent efforts. Britain let slip it's domination and advantage, and has never recovered since. Poland has gone from strength to strength, and we need to swallow some pride and learn some lessons from them.

 

What the Poles have today and where they are today is as a result of investment, belief, direction and dedication. The sport has been built up from poverty to where it is today. It's been a rocky ride for some teams over there and not all the flowers are roses, but what they have today, they have worked for and deserved. It's an attractive product, well presented, and it's no surprise that it is well received by the public. But of course you can't tell that to some of the traditional "we're British so we know best" types, can you?

Craig, Robert and a few of the younger Brits like the Worralls... should all have more training opportunities and international meetings and be encouraged to ride on the continent...

And there is the problem...haven't we been saying that for SO long? Weren't we saying the same about Ben Barker, 6 or 7 years ago? How come it's said about how difficult it is for the likes of Craig Cook to get a ride in Poland when young Aussies like Max Fricke and Justin Sedgmen don't have any problems at all?

 

Maybe Cook is now too long in the tooth to be regarded as one of our "up and coming riders" and maybe he is at his peak now, but it was refreshing to see Adam Ellis and Jack Smith riding in Germany (at their own expense) as well as Robert Lambert, on one of my recent trips out there. Maybe there is more hope for the next crop of youngsters (the Bewley's, Spillers, Smith's, Ellis's etc) than there is for the current crop. Fingers crossed.

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Not sure that the word "league" is part of Tai's plans. I think what Tai wants is for British riders to be developed to higher standards than they are currently achieving. I don't think he wan't to be the sole Brit in the SGP series and I think he'd like Team GB to win a SWC...to do that you need a squad of riders of world standard.

 

I suspect that this is where he is in conflict with the BSPA. Tai sees the bigger picture and your average British speedway promoter can't see beyond their own stadium car park.

 

The Poles have managed to run a successful league and have a SWC team full of former World u21 Champions so developing the riding talent and running a league are not mutually exclusive. I think that what Tai wants is for the BSPA to sort their act out and to try to emulate what he sees is working elsewhere and for GB to be a force on the world stage again.

PRETTY much spot on ...

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There seems to be an assumption that the fairy godmother flew over Poland, waved her magic wand and all was well with speedway in that country all of a sudden.

 

It needs to be remembered that in the 1970's and 1980's when the British League was the best in the world, and we here had all the advantages, Poland was still in the hands of the Communists. "Austerity" as we think we know it in the UK today was positive oppulence compared to what the Poles had (or didn't have) at that time. Polish stadiums back then were much like Buxton or Somerset. What you see today in Gorzow or Torun are recent developments, investments in the future and rewards for recent efforts. Britain let slip it's domination and advantage, and has never recovered since. Poland has gone from strength to strength, and we need to swallow some pride and learn some lessons from them.

 

What the Poles have today and where they are today is as a result of investment, belief, direction and dedication. The sport has been built up from poverty to where it is today. It's been a rocky ride for some teams over there and not all the flowers are roses, but what they have today, they have worked for and deserved. It's an attractive product, well presented, and it's no surprise that it is well received by the public. But of course you can't tell that to some of the traditional "we're British so we know best" types, can you?

And there is the problem...haven't we been saying that for SO long? Weren't we saying the same about Ben Barker, 6 or 7 years ago? How come it's said about how difficult it is for the likes of Craig Cook to get a ride in Poland when young Aussies like Max Fricke and Justin Sedgmen don't have any problems at all?

 

Maybe Cook is now too long in the tooth to be regarded as one of our "up and coming riders" and maybe he is at his peak now, but it was refreshing to see Adam Ellis and Jack Smith riding in Germany (at their own expense) as well as Robert Lambert, on one of my recent trips out there. Maybe there is more hope for the next crop of youngsters (the Bewley's, Spillers, Smith's, Ellis's etc) than there is for the current crop. Fingers crossed.

But as a result of their communism all their tracks are state owned aren't they? But where has all this investment come from? Where do all the thousands and thousands of pounds of wages come from? Is it right that Gorzow council (or whatever it is called) have invested massively into the club, can you imagine any british town or city council prioritising a speedway club over other things? Yes, Manchester has invested in the National Stadium but they're going to get their investment back in rent ....

PRETTY much spot on ...

The BSPA have made a start with the Poultec scheme at least. Surely we need Tai to pass on his knowledge to our young riders though by racing here, being involved, being available, being a role model?
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But as a result of their communism all their tracks are state owned aren't they? But where has all this investment come from? Where do all the thousands and thousands of pounds of wages come from? Is it right that Gorzow council (or whatever it is called) have invested massively into the club, can you imagine any british town or city council prioritising a speedway club over other things? Yes, Manchester has invested in the National Stadium but they're going to get their investment back in rent ....

The BSPA have made a start with the Poultec scheme at least. Surely we need Tai to pass on his knowledge to our young riders though by racing here, being involved, being available, being a role model?

 

OMG, Tai riding in the EL does nothing in passing off his knowledge.

Who do you think would benefit in the current Wolves team say if he rode for them?

How would Tai riding for Wolves benefit the Worrall brothers, Kerr, Lambert, Bates, Ellis etc etc?

 

Tai has put a plan together to deliver and share his knowledge but needs backing from the BSPA.

THEY'VE NOT SHOWN ANY INTEREST.

Where do you think the problems lie in youth progression?

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