The Dane Drain

[speedibee]

British youngsters have so many things to choose from these days - they don't have the same dedication as someone who has left their native Country, travelled thousands of miles to race Speedway.

 

The Australians have left home and family and family comforts in a bid to increase their abilities as Speedway Riders. Our lads just finish their Speedway practice and go home. That I think is part of the problem, the Aussies have to work harder to keep themselves, they don't have the comfort of being able to go home.

 

I think that dedication has a lot to do with it.

If you are British and want to get on in speedway but you are not that great or short of money ,best thing to do would be to change your name to Shane , and get some acting lessons on how to speak like an Aussie , then you will have a van sponsors , and promoters falling over themselves to offer you team places , best thing about this approach ,If you are not an instant heat leader it wont matter you can just cruise along improving at your own pace while being paid , if theres an english rider at the same place on the learning curve ,it's them who will get dropped ,while you happily continue under achieving

[Vince]

If you are British and want to get on in speedway but you are not that great, best thing to do would be to get some acting lessons on how to speak like an Aussie

 

Didn't really work for a certain Welsh lad who went on to be a Promoter

[GWC]

I started going to speedway in the late 60's and went away mid 80's seen the 4 valve come in and change the sport but only slightly.

Came back in 2004 and the change was striking

Lay down engines and slick tracks but the racing was thrilling and the speed exhilarating.

 

Riders need far more skill now to ride these high powered machines so development can take much longer for many - a few are exceptions but in the 70's you could be a novice one year and a 1st division heat leader in a couple of years.

Rarely happens and unlikely to as promoters want ready made riders for their teams.

[Wiseguy]

I met with the Danish under 15 champion today

 

He has identical Kevlar and bike colours as his hero Nikki Pedersen

 

What a lovely young man he was, spent ages talking to fans, I forget his name bet his attitude alone deserves success

 

 

Good luck to him, he has a champion attitude

 

Also watched Kenny Nissen this week and he was awesome. Not sure of his age but what a rider

[Pinny]

 

I think that is part of it but also, like with all the foreign lads, only the best and most dedicated get here in the first place so we don't see all the lads who don't make the grade like we do with the British lads. They also get a lot of help and advice from their fellow countrymen which isn't so much the case with British lads, that's not always the older British riders fault though.

 

I think the asset system in the country is almost designed to hold back British youngsters as well. It has always been easier to get rid of an underperforming Brit rather than let him find his feet compared to a foreign rider doing the same although that has changed a little for the better.

 

Youngsters probably do go into the NL too early, mine did but it's the only way to get them riding regularly enough to improve. As said by others second half racing is cancelled at the drop of a hat. We once turned up to a team second half at Swindon which was cancelled because Mads wanted to test an engine. When I asked Mads about it he had no idea the youngsters had been cancelled which I had guessed because he is one of those riders who is great with the kids. It wasn't urgent for him to test at all, he had mentioned it so the promotion cancelled the kids as they aren't important!

 

He also told us how in Denmark he used to be able to pay £8 to ride all day any day at his local track, there is nothing as important as seat time.

Would that of been in 2005 Vince? The same engine that was bought for Mads by a group of Newport fans for Newport meetings yet was apparantly used every week for Swindon instead?

[Humphrey Appleby]

As said by others second half racing is cancelled at the drop of a hat. We once turned up to a team second half at Swindon which was cancelled because Mads wanted to test an engine. When I asked Mads about it he had no idea the youngsters had been cancelled which I had guessed because he is one of those riders who is great with the kids. It wasn't urgent for him to test at all, he had mentioned it so the promotion cancelled the kids as they aren't important!

Unnecessarily cancelling a practice session is disgraceful and is why British speedway continues to be a joke. If that had happened to me, I'd havrjust walked away from the sport.

[speedibee]

 

I think that is part of it but also, like with all the foreign lads, only the best and most dedicated get here in the first place so we don't see all the lads who don't make the grade like we do with the British lads. They also get a lot of help and advice from their fellow countrymen which isn't so much the case with British lads, that's not always the older British riders fault though.

 

I think the asset system in the country is almost designed to hold back British youngsters as well. It has always been easier to get rid of an underperforming Brit rather than let him find his feet compared to a foreign rider doing the same although that has changed a little for the better.

 

Youngsters probably do go into the NL too early, mine did but it's the only way to get them riding regularly enough to improve. As said by others second half racing is cancelled at the drop of a hat. We once turned up to a team second half at Swindon which was cancelled because Mads wanted to test an engine. When I asked Mads about it he had no idea the youngsters had been cancelled which I had guessed because he is one of those riders who is great with the kids. It wasn't urgent for him to test at all, he had mentioned it so the promotion cancelled the kids as they aren't important!

 

He also told us how in Denmark he used to be able to pay £8 to ride all day any day at his local track, there is nothing as important as seat time.

We turned up to Cov for an MDL match once . luckily for us it's our local . not so lucky for Danny phillips who was making his way from Middlesbrough . and the match got cancelled BEFORE the main match had started . because the track staff wanted to go home because they had stock cars the next day !! . MDL professional License fees , abide by the same rules as all other leagues . don't get paid and get treated like crap . no wonder the kids get fed up . then if you stick it out pay through the nose and put up with all the bullrubbish , you get overlooked for National League , because somebody has decided they don't want to ride MX anymore . or they happen to be related to Tai Woffinden

Don't you mean "Barry Briggs MBE"?

 

You plonker with your affectation for capital letters! Why can't you type properly like the rest of us?

He copied the Barry Briggs from his tattoo of I love BARRY Briggs

[crazyb]

British youngsters have so many things to choose from these days - they don't have the same dedication as someone who has left their native Country, travelled thousands of miles to race Speedway.

 

The Australians have left home and family and family comforts in a bid to increase their abilities as Speedway Riders. Our lads just finish their Speedway practice and go home. That I think is part of the problem, the Aussies have to work harder to keep themselves, they don't have the comfort of being able to go home.

 

I think that dedication has a lot to do with it.

 

Agree completely

[steve roberts]

British youngsters have so many things to choose from these days - they don't have the same dedication as someone who has left their native Country, travelled thousands of miles to race Speedway.

 

The Australians have left home and family and family comforts in a bid to increase their abilities as Speedway Riders. Our lads just finish their Speedway practice and go home. That I think is part of the problem, the Aussies have to work harder to keep themselves, they don't have the comfort of being able to go home.

 

I think that dedication has a lot to do with it.

Ivan Mauger suggested this many decades ago when he stated that those from the other side of the world gave up a lot (like home comforts) in an attempt to make a success of it in Britain. Generally they were more hungry (even in it's recognised sense) unlike many British riders who had a warm bed and hot meal to go back home to.

Edited June 30, 2017 by steve roberts

[martinmauger]

The Danes are in trouble ? Oh dear, how sad, never mind, what a pity - serves 'em right for the success they had in past (and they had a lot !) , often at the expense of us Brits.

 

Pauses for effect.

 

Seriously, little doubt the Danes will almost certainly 'do an Arnire' and be back in short time.

 

"Ivan Mauger suggested this many decades ago when he stated that those from the other side of the world gave up a lot (like home comforts) in an attempt to make a success of it in Britain. Generally they were more hungry (even in it's recognised sense) unlike many British riders who had a warm bed and hot meal to go back home to."

 

Indeed he did and so did Briggo, for 'tis true....

[topsoil]

We turned up to Cov for an MDL match once . luckily for us it's our local . not so lucky for Danny phillips who was making his way from Middlesbrough . and the match got cancelled BEFORE the main match had started . because the track staff wanted to go home because they had stock cars the next day !! . MDL professional License fees , abide by the same rules as all other leagues . don't get paid and get treated like crap . no wonder the kids get fed up . then if you stick it out pay through the nose and put up with all the bullrubbish , you get overlooked for National League , because somebody has decided they don't want to ride MX anymore . or they happen to be related to Tai Woffinden

He copied the Barry Briggs from his tattoo of I love BARRY Briggs

And to think there are those who say Tai does nothing for British speedway