Could Woffy Be Making An El Return?

[LisaColette]

Tai is a nice person? Not what I've heard and he comes across as very arrogant, more so than any of the other Aussies. As for him not riding in the Uk, you don't see any of the top Danes abandoning the Danish league, do you?

Tbh as long as it isn't at Poole not bothered if he rides in UK again or not but for outsiders looking in it doesn't look good not riding in your home country. Bit embarrassing really.

[Gloves]

My issue with Tai is that for a long time he actively promoted how much he did for British speedway and a number of his actions such as not riding in the uk, missing the British final seem to suggest the opposite. Whilst I am not someone who will cheer for him as its my choice paying my entry fee, I certainly would not boo him as every rider deserves respect as they put their life and well being on the line every time they race. Where I am impressed with Tai is the work he has done to raise money for charity and like all speedway riders backs and supports riders who have had life changing accidents e.g. Darcy Ward.

[speedibee]

Tai is a nice person? Not what I've heard and he comes across as very arrogant, more so than any of the other Aussies. As for him not riding in the Uk, you don't see any of the top Danes abandoning the Danish league, do you?

Tbh as long as it isn't at Poole not bothered if he rides in UK again or not but for outsiders looking in it doesn't look good not riding in your home country. Bit embarrassing really.

he still rides in Australia

Edited April 19, 2016 by speedibee

[stevebrum]

What is embarrassing is how low Britain has sunk in the speedway world.

That's the fault of those running the sport .. not the rider.

I know where my blame lies.

Typical attack on Tai tho , whilst I'm displeased he has given up the EL and Wolves he is no different to the scores before him.

 

You all need to look higher than Tai for blame.

he still rides in Australia

Not for a couple of seasons.

[speedibee]

My issue with Tai is that for a long time he actively promoted how much he did for British speedway and a number of his actions such as not riding in the uk, missing the British final seem to suggest the opposite. Whilst I am not someone who will cheer for him as its my choice paying my entry fee, I certainly would not boo him as every rider deserves respect as they put their life and well being on the line every time they race. Where I am impressed with Tai is the work he has done to raise money for charity and like all speedway riders backs and supports riders who have had life changing accidents e.g. Darcy Ward.

The debates on BSF are about speedway , whatever woffinden has done for chartity is irrelevant to speedway , anyhow doing work for charity says nothing of persons real character and does nothing to offset wrongdoings of any form , otherwise Jimmy saville would still be revered by one and all

[Gloves]

Speedibee when Tai's character is hammered on here all things should be considered. Doing work for and raising money for charity should always be commended in my view. If you think differently good luck to you but these charities help many people often relying on donations and well known people publicising their cause. Before you respond with another post about what I can and can't post, don't worry I won't post again or stay on this forum. As it'll it's full of nonsense like I have been reading life is too short. What's wrong with British speedway... It's the supporters who are just so negative all the time. Good luck all and goodbye

[heathen chemistry]

A British world champion who cant be arsed to support the top league in this country deserves all the distain thrown at him. A real shame because having the world champ in the EL would have been a big draw card and he would have shown support for the country that gave him the brake.

 

Instead he would rather ride in Poland and Sweden. I cant fathom why anyone would want to support him after basically craping on his own country's fans.

 

As far as I am concerned he can carry on singing Waltzing Matilda and after refusing to ride here hope he never gets a spoty nomination he so desperately craves.

 

hypocrisy.....what about a top british club who failed to support the last british world champ before wuffy

 

deciding to sign a foreigner instead

[Woz01]

Chris Harris!

Exactly. Bomber has set up 'Team Harris' which includes several young riders and I believe young mechanics too. Some of them will actually travel to GPs with him.

[Terry]

 

 

What is embarrassing is how low Britain has sunk in the speedway world.

That's the fault of those running the sport .. not the rider.

I know where my blame lies.

Typical attack on Tai tho , whilst I'm displeased he has given up the EL and Wolves he is no different to the scores before him.

 

That's the thing though, the scores before him haven't been a British world champion. Of course Tai is fully entitled to give up Britain and just ride abroad and good luck to him, but he is always going to be a 'marmite' kind of a rider because of it. I'm another who wants to like him, but there's a fine line between confidence and arrogance and he seems to be veering evermore towards the latter.

Edited April 19, 2016 by Terry

[stevebrum]

That's the thing though, the scores before him haven't been a British world champion. Of course Tai is fully entitled to give up Britain and just ride abroad and good luck to him, but he is always going to be a 'marmite' kind of a rider because of it. I'm another who wants to like him, but there's a fine line between confidence and arrogance and he seems to be veering evermore towards the latter.

He seems a marmite kind of rider, no idea why. Our best rider for many a year.

[Little Nicki]

Tai is a nice person? Not what I've heard and he comes across as very arrogant, more so than any of the other Aussies. As for him not riding in the Uk, you don't see any of the top Danes abandoning the Danish league, do you?

Tbh as long as it isn't at Poole not bothered if he rides in UK again or not but for outsiders looking in it doesn't look good not riding in your home country. Bit embarrassing really.

 

I doubt Danish riders get slagged off by Danish fans as much as the British World Champion (born in Scunthorpe to British parents) does by a certain section of, so called, British speedway fans.

 

If Tai had ridden for the Pirates, Poole fans would be tripping over themselves defending him. These comments just convey a typical Poole bias I'm afraid.

 

Ask yourself this, if your club signed Tai Woffinden, would you stop going, or would you go and not support him, even boo him?

[robert72]

Had ward not had his tragic crash them he would of been back in British speedway this season.

Also holder,Johnson,NKI, Zagar ,Doyle all chasing the world title but are not giving up British speedway.

 

Too many weak excuses for tai and it's time those in charge make an example of him and not pick him or any rider to represent there country who doesn't compete in British speedway for the sale of the future of the sport.

[gee jay]

Wrong, he still would have to fit in any teams average and no one would make those changes for the odd meeting.

You have more chance of red rum being found than this happening.

red rum never disappeared it was shergar.

[Little Nicki]

Had ward not had his tragic crash them he would of been back in British speedway this season.

Also holder,Johnson,NKI, Zagar ,Doyle all chasing the world title but are not giving up British speedway.

 

Too many weak excuses for tai and it's time those in charge make an example of him and not pick him or any rider to represent there country who doesn't compete in British speedway for the sale of the future of the sport.

 

OK, we get it, Robert72, you don't like Tai Woffinden. Doesn't mean you have to keep saying it over and over again. And, would you really want Tai to be excluded from Team GB in the SWC? Really? Cut off nose to spite face? Lessen your country's chances of competing and possibly getting on the rostrum, or better? Deprive the people who do want to watch the best team that GB can put out and want to watch the two time British World Champion ride in this country, the opportunity of doing so? The one true world class rider Britain has. A British sportsman who excels in his field. And for what purpose? To teach him a lesson, or to satisfy you? A very poor and sad point of view in my opinion.

 

(I won't point out the miss-spelling you made in your last sentence, but it did make me chuckle. Thank you. I just wonder how much they will get for it.)

 

Exactly. Bomber has set up 'Team Harris' which includes several young riders and I believe young mechanics too. Some of them will actually travel to GPs with him.

 

I love Chris Harris to bits, and his Team Harris initiative is great, but he is taking young riders and young mechanics to SGP's with him? British and Polish league meetings, I would understand, but SGP's, really?

[Terry]

He seems a marmite kind of rider, no idea why. Our best rider for many a year.

 

There's no doubting he's our best rider since Loram, I mean he'll never be liked by everyone.

[Woz01]

 

OK, we get it, Robert72, you don't like Tai Woffinden. Doesn't mean you have to keep saying it over and over again. And, would you really want Tai to be excluded from Team GB in the SWC? Really? Cut off nose to spite face? Lessen your country's chances of competing and possibly getting on the rostrum, or better? Deprive the people who do want to watch the best team that GB can put out and want to watch the two time British World Champion ride in this country, the opportunity of doing so? The one true world class rider Britain has. A British sportsman who excels in his field. And for what purpose? To teach him a lesson, or to satisfy you? A very poor and sad point of view in my opinion.

 

(I won't point out the miss-spelling you made in your last sentence, but it did make me chuckle. Thank you. I just wonder how much they will get for it.)

 

 

I love Chris Harris to bits, and his Team Harris initiative is great, but he is taking young riders and young mechanics to SGP's with him? British and Polish league meetings, I would understand, but SGP's, really?

He is certainly taking one rider (Roberts) to some just to gain experience and feel what a GP day is like. I dont think there will be several per GP, perhaps one or two at a time from what I've read.

[Steve Shovlar]

I would like to make one thing clear, which didn't come over on my previous posts, as I am quite angry on this subject.

 

I do believe Woffinden is a great rider and worthy World Champion. His work for charity is exemplorary and he deserves praise for his work in this field. No other rider off the top of my head has done so much for such worthy causes.

 

But it does frustrate me that we have a British World Champion who has shunned his own country's league to entertain fans in other countrys rather than his own. He might feel its a pain to ride in the EL but as a Brit and as a World Champion is is an ambassador to the sport and should have helped re-ignite the sport by riding here. Instead he has chosen to be invisible to the British speedway public and his time as World Champion is a waste for the sport in the UK when it could have been used well.

 

Not only has he alienated UK fans with his blatant disregard to the EL, but he has also probably missed out on quite a but of sponsorship.

 

Furthermore, a world champion normally has a huge following from his own country behind him, but his actions have split his support in the UK, as this thread clearly shows.

 

A shame IMO and one he will probably look back at at after his career is over with regret.

Edited April 20, 2016 by Steve Shovlar

[Little Nicki]

I would like to make one thing clear, which didn't come over on my previous posts, as I am quite angry on this subject.

 

SS is angry ? Never of guessed would we ?

But it does frustrate me that we have a British World Champion who has shunned his own country's league to entertain fans in other countrys rather than his own. He might feel its a pain to ride in the EL but as a Brit and as a World Champion is is an ambassador to the sport and should have helped re-ignite the sport by riding here. Instead he has chosen to be invisible to the British speedway public and his time as World Champion is a waste for the sport in the UK when it could have been used well.

An angry and frustrated SS? Not good, As I said in my earlier post, I simply despair sometimes. Not sure TW108 has 'shunned' his own country's league to entertain fans necessarily, more to earn better money and to offer him a better opportunity to excel in the SGP series. Hold on a minute - you called him a 'Plastic Brit' before, whereas now you say: 'shunned his own country's league' - an admission therefore that he is indeed 100% British. Well done SS, I knew you could do it. Welcome to the 'Tai is British' side of the forum. No more comments of 'Plastic Brit' from you then now.

Not only has he alienated UK fans with his blatant disregard to the EL, but he has also probably missed out on quite a but of sponsorship.

Alienated some UK fans maybe, but nowhere near all, or even the majority - unless you have facts to disprove this. Whilst all professional sports people could always use extra sponsorship, looking at his web-site, Tai seems to be doing ok for sponsorship. But then, maybe 'a but of sponsorship' is more than a lot?

Furthermore, a world champion normally has a huge following from his own country behind him, but his actions have split his support in the UK, as this thread clearly shows.

 

A shame IMO and one he will probably look back at at after his career is over with regret.

 

Split? What as in 'split in half', as I don't think that has been anywhere near proven and I would be surprised if this split manifests itself to any great degree at Cardiff, at the SWC, or at the re-staging of the Peter Craven Meeting if he is invited back to that, if he accepts and if the NSS can fit it in to the diminishing weeks of the season. You may hear Star Lady emitting a 'boo' or giving him 'the silent treatment' and speedibee may become an uncowardly lion for few minutes and be brave enough to flick Tai the finger from the top tier of the Principality Stadium, but the majority of true British speedway fans would be proud to have one of their own as the World Champion and will show their support for a rider who could become ranked the greatest ever Brit this season, I would've thought.

 

Will he regret not riding more in the UK when he has, hopefully, safely retired? Maybe, but he might just be too busy counting his money, soaking up the sunshine, flipping out on an MX, skydiving, taking out his boat, water skiing, walking round his mansion and enjoying the family lifestyle that his skills will have provided by then back in his own country ... whoops, I mean, when he finally settles down in Western Australia . Or maybe he will just chuck it all in and test his talents in another motor sport discipline and 'shun' the whole sport. Whatever he does, I wish him well.

[LisaColette]

 

I doubt Danish riders get slagged off by Danish fans as much as the British World Champion (born in Scunthorpe to British parents) does by a certain section of, so called, British speedway fans.

 

If Tai had ridden for the Pirates, Poole fans would be tripping over themselves defending him. These comments just convey a typical Poole bias I'm afraid.

 

Ask yourself this, if your club signed Tai Woffinden, would you stop going, or would you go and not support him, even boo him?

I don't go to many meetings anyway to the moment so wouldn't affect that. I wouldn't boo him far too much effort!!

 

I have never liked him so it is not Poole bias, sorry to disappoint. Don't believe much that comes out of his mouth, but I'll let his sheep hang on to his every word.

[Odds On]

a very good post by Steve Shovlar, I can see why Tai chose to ride in the likes of Poland, Sweden etc as opposed to Britain, the main reasoning being money, the one thing I don't understand is that previously he has said he was "tired" during a season, like most things in life you cant have the best of both worlds.

By all accounts Pete Adams has been instrumental in his achievements and success in the sport, time will tell if Tai has anybody in his camp with that influential and calming manner.