SON finals Togliatti Sat/Sun July 20th/21st Live on BT Sport

[Fromafar]

It’s not like Bomber to have bike troubles.

[Bagpuss]

24 minutes ago, Phil The Ace said:

If anyone expected anything other than last then you need to give your head a wobble. 

 

We have 1 world class rider. (Injured)

1 great rider in Lambert (injured)

1 decent UK rider and good at this track (injured)

 

Andb1 has been. Great servent to team GB but shouldnt be anywhere near the squad. 

 

We need to forget this year and learn from it

Totally agree. Our best three riders have all ended up being injured after two laps of our first heat, yes Bewley should have been out there rather than Bomber if he was fit but other than that and possibly needing a new TM an awful lot of the criticism has been way OTT. We came second last year with our best three riders and might have done well with them this year so let’s calm down a little and just accept it’s not been our year. 

No reason why Woffy, Robert and Bewley can’t give it a good go next year if the format is the same. 

[acef]

Congratulations to the Russians. 
 

Probably the worst weekend of speedway I’ve watched.

Pray to god they bring a GP here.

[Leicester Lion]

21 minutes ago, PHILIPRISING said:

SAFER and easier to ride doesn't mean poor racing. I give you the NSS...

The exception that proves the rule. Among the many reasons I stopped going to meetings was because I tired of hearing riders describing a track as great (because it gave them an easy ride) yet the racing was dull for those who had paid to watch.

[acef]

3 minutes ago, nw42 said:

No need to explain, doesn't matter what language you're speaking in, calling someone a sh!thouse and a good man is contradictory 

Ok, I’ll bite.

 

When I’m talking during an event like this I’m referring to what said rider is doing on his motorcycle. It’s not personal. I don’t know the man.

Its really very simple. On a motorbike, at this level, he is a rubbish house.

Im sure Craig is a very patriotic, decent human being. Just like bomber.

Hope you understand.

[PHILIPRISING]

8 minutes ago, mikebv said:

To be fair...

Both Nigel and Kelvin didn't cover themselves in glory either..

Many poor interpretations of what had just happened on track, and why, and not knowing the rules of the competition either..

Normally have no issues with them as they often struggle manfully to make racing sound much better than it is to project a better image of the sport, but not their finest couple of days..

PS.

I don't think Nigel agrees that the winners should win the meeting with just "Four laps and sixty seconds of racing", nor do I think he appreciates the SWC now being a "World Pairs" competition..

 

WASN'T their best night, I agree, but commentating from a studio thousands of miles away will always be an issue.

[orion]

14 minutes ago, mikebv said:

To be fair...

Both Nigel and Kelvin didn't cover themselves in glory either..

Many poor interpretations of what had just happened on track, and why, and not knowing the rules of the competition either..

Normally have no issues with them as they often struggle manfully to make racing sound much better than it is to project a better image of the sport, but not their finest couple of days..

PS.

I don't think Nigel agrees that the winners should win the meeting with just "Four laps and sixty seconds of racing", nor do I think he appreciates the SWC now being a "World Pairs" competition..

 

Bit harsh on them .they did inform us that Russia won the ice world speedway on the same track when there was ice on it .

[Endeavour]

2 hours ago, sommelier said:

 

The Only true Brit to put on a English race jacket was Kenny Carter

Don’t think you should be holding that paragon of virtue up as a role model.

[waytogo28]

9 minutes ago, Bagpuss said:

and possibly needing a new TM

No possibly about it. The Russian man, Igor, was better and he did nothing. All Rosco had to do was look glum. And yes I am sorry that I will be sending only £25 to the SRBF, had those cheering on Bomber been right it could have been up to £250. When are those new Greg Hancock gating gloves being delivered Bomber?

[Aviator]

I am amazed that the GB TM did not have the good grace to be interviewed on the overall Team GB performance for the weekend and felt it appropriate to leave it to the youngest member in the team. You can bet your bottom dollar he would have been all over the screen had we won.

[Bagpuss]

2 minutes ago, waytogo28 said:

No possibly about it. The Russian man, Igor, was better and he did nothing. All Rosco had to do was look glum. And yes I am sorry that I will be sending only £25 to the SRBF, had those cheering on Bomber been right it could have been up to £250. When are those new Greg Hancock gating gloves being delivered Bomber?

The only problem I see with Rosco is that he and Tai don’t get on and that nothing new, it’s been the case for several seasons. Assuming they can still work together after this weekend I don’t personally see the point in changing the TM. 

[Icicle]

I find it interesting when there are moans about how poor it was (&it was). Yet will also say World Finals in "Good Old Days" better.. I watched one (fairly recently) fron the 70's (exact year eludes me) with all the "Greats" Olsen, Briss, Mauger etc . O.K. big crowd improved atmosphere , a decent commentator (!!) but  the racing was FTG & essentally garbage. But hey! Good Old Days!!

[ArthurRudge]

Remember Tai saying something about other team managers take their team out to nice restaurants but Rosco takes them out to the local Kebab house 

[JCookie]

This should be a defining night for British Speedway, we're making good progress as a nation at youth level, but the top of the tree is rotten. This should be the wake-up call that's clearly needed to have a proper clearout of the old guard and start instilling some professionalism.

I have nothing but respect for the changes the new guys have made so far, but keeping Rossiter as team manager was a bad decision from the get-go. The guy seems to be living in an age where GB weren't expected to win anything, they could all have a good laugh and as long as they entertained and give it a go, it was a good night's work. That doesn't work in modern day speedway. Rossiter just comes across as a bit of a clown, I can't imagine anyone turning up on a raceday and respecting him, least of all a self made 3 time world champion.

I've never been a great lover of Tai Woffinden, but dear me, is he needed by Team GB at present. His ideas, determination and courage to actually air his views are what we need if we're ever going to get anywhere. It might put a few noses out of joint but we need to get away from this plucky GB crap to being an actual professional speedway nation ASAP if we want to win anything. A new team manager is a must. I'd say they could also do with looking at all these backroom/hangers on team, a standby rider is far more important than a 'Head of Performance' (what exactly was he doing this weekend?!). I'd love to see someone with a bit of gravitas come in to manage the side, along with a younger understudy to be groomed for the future - something like a Peter Adams & Olly Allen/Simon Stead/Scott Nicholls combo.

As for the meeting, without doubt the worst speedway I've seen in a long, long time. I've watched this sport since I was a kid, probably around 20 years and that's the first time I've switched the channel off and watched something else instead of live speedway. Why on earth are there 42 heats to give us 1 semi and 1 final? What is the exact point of Saturday's meeting? Do they even look at tracks before they decide to award them with the pinnacle of world speedway? Presumably the answer to all those questions is that nobody has any idea. The whole event just felt flat as a fart, there was no tension or drama, the GP qualification on a Friday night has more about it than this did.

Pearson and Tatum add absolutely nothing to the event either - I'm sure Tatum is a lovely bloke, and very experienced, but he isn't a great commentator and time to get him doing more pits analysis. Pearson, where do you start? The final straw for me was him laughing and joking about the rules being so complicated and "we'll worry about them later"! It's a World Cup final, it happens once a year and you're not clear on the rules? Why is he laughing at the fact the rules are a little bit complex? Imagine Darren Fletcher doing that in a Champions League final? His commentary is going out on the world feed and he makes the sport look a joke. Clearly he has plenty control over the BSPA now along with many sycophants so it's p1ssing in the wind.

Let's hope for better next year - Woffinden, Lambert and Bewley, on a better track and with a decent team manager.

[waytogo28]

At least the many, many thousands turned up in the 1970s ( whichever year it was you were watching ) to help create an atmosphere. So really there was little point in inventing speedway in the Good Old, Old Days ( 1923 or 1928 ) because it has never got any better. It was it seems, icicle, all pointless and as I have said before 100 half-lap dashes per match would give more excitement.

[lastword]

2 hours ago, sommelier said:

 

The Only true Brit to put on a English race jacket was Kenny Carter

Bollocks!

[ArthurRudge]

6 minutes ago, JCookie said:

This should be a defining night for British Speedway, we're making good progress as a nation at youth level, but the top of the tree is rotten. This should be the wake-up call that's clearly needed to have a proper clearout of the old guard and start instilling some professionalism.

I have nothing but respect for the changes the new guys have made so far, but keeping Rossiter as team manager was a bad decision from the get-go. The guy seems to be living in an age where GB weren't expected to win anything, they could all have a good laugh and as long as they entertained and give it a go, it was a good night's work. That doesn't work in modern day speedway. Rossiter just comes across as a bit of a clown, I can't imagine anyone turning up on a raceday and respecting him, least of all a self made 3 time world champion.

I've never been a great lover of Tai Woffinden, but dear me, is he needed by Team GB at present. His ideas, determination and courage to actually air his views are what we need if we're ever going to get anywhere. It might put a few noses out of joint but we need to get away from this plucky GB crap to being an actual professional speedway nation ASAP if we want to win anything. A new team manager is a must. I'd say they could also do with looking at all these backroom/hangers on team, a standby rider is far more important than a 'Head of Performance' (what exactly was he doing this weekend?!). I'd love to see someone with a bit of gravitas come in to manage the side, along with a younger understudy to be groomed for the future - something like a Peter Adams & Olly Allen/Simon Stead/Scott Nicholls combo.

As for the meeting, without doubt the worst speedway I've seen in a long, long time. I've watched this sport since I was a kid, probably around 20 years and that's the first time I've switched the channel off and watched something else instead of live speedway. Why on earth are there 42 heats to give us 1 semi and 1 final? What is the exact point of Saturday's meeting? Do they even look at tracks before they decide to award them with the pinnacle of world speedway? Presumably the answer to all those questions is that nobody has any idea. The whole event just felt flat as a fart, there was no tension or drama, the GP qualification on a Friday night has more about it than this did.

Pearson and Tatum add absolutely nothing to the event either - I'm sure Tatum is a lovely bloke, and very experienced, but he isn't a great commentator and time to get him doing more pits analysis. Pearson, where do you start? The final straw for me was him laughing and joking about the rules being so complicated and "we'll worry about them later"! It's a World Cup final, it happens once a year and you're not clear on the rules? Why is he laughing at the fact the rules are a little bit complex? Imagine Darren Fletcher doing that in a Champions League final? His commentary is going out on the world feed and he makes the sport look a joke. Clearly he has plenty control over the BSPA now along with many sycophants so it's p1ssing in the wind.

Let's hope for better next year - Woffinden, Lambert and Bewley, on a better track and with a decent team manager.

You have summed it up nicely, but nothing will change it never does.

[Fromafar]

It just highlighted what most fans know in World Speedway terms at Top Level we are a long way behind, and it will be a number of years before we catch up ( if ever).

[Daniel Smith]

For me, after this weekend Rosco has to go. 

As a manager, he should be there to advise and manage his rider's. Everyone can see the curb was the place to be. I don't blame Craig for leaving the door open as I'm sure after his races he'd of been in his pit trying to sort stuff out and had no time to watch other races. This is where the manager comes in but clearly nothing was said. 

The team selection and rider availability was truly abysmally organised by Rosco as there was clearly no plan for issues. In Speedway injuries happen so to have a reliance on Harris was pathetic management. 

 

[JamesHarris]

6 minutes ago, Daniel Smith said:

For me, after this weekend Rosco has to go. 

As a manager, he should be there to advise and manage his rider's. Everyone can see the curb was the place to be. I don't blame Craig for leaving the door open as I'm sure after his races he'd of been in his pit trying to sort stuff out and had no time to watch other races. This is where the manager comes in but clearly nothing was said. 

The team selection and rider availability was truly abysmally organised by Rosco as there was clearly no plan for issues. In Speedway injuries happen so to have a reliance on Harris was pathetic management. 

 

Very fair point. No disrespect meant to Harris but I wouldn't say that he is in the top league of riders anymore. I understand Woffy is injured? Rosco should have gone with selecting another youngster in place of Bomber. Nothing to lose but everything to gain had we done well.