Craig Cook?

[TheWellBehavedWorrall]

What is actually going on with Craig Cook? Whats known? I haven’t been here long, but but one of the most notable things on this forum is the cloak-and-dagger approach to Craig Cook.

I remember when Cook was unreal for Edinburgh. I went through to Armadale a few times in around 2013 and he was frightening. Didn’t he help Dan Bewley? Kyle Bickley too. When he was in the GP, was he the first Premier League rider to do so since Carl Stonehewer?

The CLRC was the first speedway meeting I watched this year. I tuned-in to find a disgrace of a line-up for such an event, but Cook was a reassuring and notable name within it.

He retired from his first ride, then withdrew from the meeting. The commentator said he ”didn’t have a bike”. I’m sorry, what? I didn’t realise you pulled-up to the tapes in a goat for your first ride. Now, he’s withholding his services from Edinburgh.

Accountability is absent, it seems, both in Craig Cook’s actions and Richie Worrall’s statement; terrible conduct.

[SilentLurker]

In terms of team building for this season Glasgow definitely made the right call getting him out the team.

On his day he was an absolute monster on a speedway bike(pun intended) but sadly those days are long gone and reading the article about him in the paper I have no sympathy for him either.

[screm]

Difficult to know what to make of the Craig Cook situation without knowing the whole story. What is clear is that not to many seasons ago Craig was right up there as one of the top riders at Championship level and a very decent rider at Premiership level, now he is a shadow of that rider, which is sad to see but time moves on and maybe Craig`s time has come to do something else.

[ch958]

we need to be careful - if something awful happens (i don't need to spell it out) one wouldn't want to think they bore any responsibility, the lad is struggling, now is not the time to kick him.

I've had mental health issues - luckily I didn't have random strangers berating me. 

[Moranboys]

18 minutes ago, ch958 said:

we need to be careful - if something awful happens (i don't need to spell it out) one wouldn't want to think they bore any responsibility, the lad is struggling, now is not the time to kick him.

I've had mental health issues - luckily I didn't have random strangers berating me. 

Well said,the quicker people left the guy alone,the better.

[ch958]

48 minutes ago, Moranboys said:

Well said,the quicker people left the guy alone,the better.

Danny Ayres, Billy Sanders, Ian Robertson, Paul Fry, Rafal Kurminsky etc etc

[SilentLurker]

On 8/26/2023 at 7:38 PM, Mr Blobby said:

People make comments without knowing the full picture. If they did they wouldn’t be saying these things and this thread wouldn’t even be a thing.

Seems to be a bit of pals act going on with you. On one hand you defend Worrall for ‘saying it as it is’ and verbally abusing a fan online.

Then on the other hand you are saying this? Of course the vast majority do not know the full picture! The vast majority are only interested in the actual sport not the personal lives of the riders. @davieb1 is only commenting on this from a sporting perspective. Everybody has their own issues and there are hundreds of riders in this country that ride week in week out that do not behave the way Cook does. How long do you expect people to keep giving him a pass for?

[Moranboys]

20 minutes ago, SilentLurker said:

Seems to be a bit of pals act going on with you. On one hand you defend Worrall for ‘saying it as it is’ and verbally abusing a fan online.

Then on the other hand you are saying this? Of course the vast majority do not know the full picture! The vast majority are only interested in the actual sport not the personal lives of the riders. @davieb1 is only commenting on this from a sporting perspective. Everybody has their own issues and there are hundreds of riders in this country that ride week in week out that do not behave the way Cook does. How long do you expect people to keep giving him a pass for?

There's also not many riders out there trying to deal with a situation like cookie had to deal with at edinburgh.so,for goodness sake,give it a bloody rest why don't you?

[Hawk127]

3 hours ago, ch958 said:

we need to be careful - if something awful happens (i don't need to spell it out) one wouldn't want to think they bore any responsibility, the lad is struggling, now is not the time to kick him.

I've had mental health issues - luckily I didn't have random strangers berating me. 

He needs help and space to sort himself out. If he feels he is not on the game it is justified in pulling out of meetings. One is to many to be lost to the sport for this sort of thing and the guy needs to be cut some slack. If he can get it together and come back great but we do not need another Danny Ayers. Unless you have been through it you really do not know how the individual copes or deals with the demons. Let him be and give him support. He entertained you once, don’t knock him when he is down, we have all been in the same situation by varying degrees and may not have realised it but at least it seems he is trying to deal with the situation. 

[GM95]

@davieb1 enjoy the playoffs 

[Byker Biker]

I cannot see how a thread about Craig Cook can possibly help any situation he might be in, if the moderators haven't got the sense to remove the thread then the very least the forum members can do is stop posting on it.

[TheWellBehavedWorrall]

I’m sorry, what? Are my eyes playing tricks on me?

We have a leading British rider who sacked-off the CLRC within which he was a notable feature and his club have now confirmed he’s ”withholding his services”, but you don’t want people speaking about it? No problem, Kim Jong Un.

It’s almost like we should be grateful, honoured and privileged that these riders risk their very existence for our entertainment, so accountability goes out the window. It’s almost a childish outlook.

I paid BSN £14.99 with the hope of seeing Cook in the CLRC, but got two laps and footage of him scraping sh*te off his steel shoe in the pits, so given that I got about £1 worth, I reserve the right to an opinion.

[Byker Biker]

2 minutes ago, TheWellBehavedWorrall said:

I’m sorry, what? Are my eyes playing tricks on me?

We have a leading British rider who sacked-off the CLRC within which he was a notable feature and his club have now confirmed he’s ”withholding his services”, but you don’t want people speaking about it? No problem, Kim Jong Un.

It’s almost like we should be grateful, honoured and privileged that these riders risk their very existence for our entertainment, so accountability goes out the window. It’s almost a childish outlook.

I paid BSN £14.99 with the hope of seeing Cook in the CLRC, but got two laps and footage of him scraping sh*te off his steel shoe in the pits, so given that I got about £1 worth, I reserve the right to an opinion.

This post says more about you than it does me

[Moranboys]

7 minutes ago, Byker Biker said:

This post says more about you than it does me

I'll second that one..!!

[GeneralMelchett]

4 hours ago, ch958 said:

Danny Ayres, Billy Sanders, Ian Robertson, Paul Fry, Rafal Kurminsky etc etc

add Lukasz Romanek

Edited September 7, 2023 by GeneralMelchett

[GeneralMelchett]

12 minutes ago, TheWellBehavedWorrall said:

I’m sorry, what? Are my eyes playing tricks on me?

We have a leading British rider who sacked-off the CLRC within which he was a notable feature and his club have now confirmed he’s ”withholding his services”, but you don’t want people speaking about it? No problem, Kim Jong Un.

It’s almost like we should be grateful, honoured and privileged that these riders risk their very existence for our entertainment, so accountability goes out the window. It’s almost a childish outlook.

I paid BSN £14.99 with the hope of seeing Cook in the CLRC, but got two laps and footage of him scraping sh*te off his steel shoe in the pits, so given that I got about £1 worth, I reserve the right to an opinion.

blah blah its all about you isnt it blah blah waffle piffle blah

[TheWellBehavedWorrall]

Wow. We’re now literally rhyming off speedway riders who died of suicide because Craig Cook has been criticised. Genuinely, wow.

[Pinny]

10 hours ago, TheWellBehavedWorrall said:

Wow. We’re now literally rhyming off speedway riders who died of suicide because Craig Cook has been criticised. Genuinely, wow.

If Cook is suffering from mental health issues, it is probably time for him to call it a day. Remember him suffering from them before as well.

I am no fan of Cook at all but having suffered some mental health problems myself, I wouldn't wish it upon anyone. I'd imagine being on a speedway bike is the last place he should be.

 

[IainB]

16 hours ago, ch958 said:

we need to be careful - if something awful happens (i don't need to spell it out) one wouldn't want to think they bore any responsibility, the lad is struggling, now is not the time to kick him.

I've had mental health issues - luckily I didn't have random strangers berating me. 

It seems to me that if mental health is to be treated in the same way as physical health then a 30 day ban for withholding services was not the way to go about things. If Cook is not riding because of mental health that is. If he was returning after a broken leg and kept pulling out of meetings because he wasn't fit I think the reaction would probably be the same, in that he shouldn't be back in the team until he's fit. I remember Lee Richardson getting quite a bit of stick when he first signed for Coventry because he had some kidney problem or something and kept declaring himself "fit" for meetings and then kept pulling out mid way through the meeting. Unfortunately in sport it's not like phoning into work and saying you're not going to be in today but you're letting your team mates and fans down if you're not able to complete the meeting. Maybe Cook feels obligated to turn out because of the team ethic in sport or that a facility may not be granted if he doesn't turn out, I don't know and as I've said before I don't really care, it's none of my business, obviously I wish him the best and a speedy recovery but what is my business is when I've paid my money for something and am not getting value for that money.

It's funny the different reactions to riders... Batchelor got absolutely slaughtered for not trying during the recent pairs meeting, I have seen exactly the same kind of attitude from Cook for Leicester, granted he wasn't pulling wheelies at the back but he was clearly not trying and pulling out of moves and pulling up at the back. Batch clearly didn't fancy the track and was obviously in fear of his safety

[Teromaafan]

4 minutes ago, Pinny said:

If Cook is suffering from mental health issues, it is probably time for him to call it a day. Remember him suffering from them before as well.

I am no fan of Cook at all but having suffered some mental health problems myself, I wouldn't wish it upon anyone. I'd imagine being on a speedway bike is the last place he should be.

 

Agreed. If Cookie's problems are non speedway related he should step back from the sport to sort himself out, his health is a priority. He only gets criticism on this forum because he continues to ride his bike (when it suits it would seem) and consistently disappoints. If the rider persists with the sport it is understandable that those paying to watch him will have their say.