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Ermolenko's thoughts

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Read these comments from Sam today in Tricky's column in the Bournemouth Echo. Thought they were quite good so I'm posting them here to see what anyone thinks - I think he's got some good points. I quite like the card idea, but have a read anyhows.... :)

 

Ermolenko replied: "Personally, I think the sport needs a major re-think this winter in terms of team structures. Too many riders are riding on the brink, knowing they could lose their team places. The fear of the boot creates all sorts of panic and certainly does nothing to improve safety in the sport.

 

"I fully understand there must be competition. Without it we don't have a sport. But match by match pressure of not knowing if you are going to be dropped is a concern. The problem always seems to centre on the lesser lights in the team too. When inexperienced riders are pushing themselves beyond the limit for survival in a team dangerous things happen.

 

"I believe team strengths, whether it be in England, Sweden or Poland must be set in stone at the start of the season. Why not follow football's lead in having a transfer cap between March until August?

 

"The sport has to give more time for younger riders to develop without an axe hanging over them.

 

"Let me make things clear I am not talking about any one rider or any side specifically. I am just making a general point.

 

He added: "I also believe referees must be given more authority in terms of dishing out stronger discipline for dangerous riding.

 

"The introduction of yellow and red cards in all speedway meetings would be a way of telling riders that they must behave on the track.

 

"If not, they could be sent off and out of a meeting for dangerous riding. In my opinion, speedway is the greatest sport in the world: The noise, the smell, the danger of four riders vying for the slightest advantage into the first corner on bikes with no brakes and a set gearing.

 

"It has kept the public on the edge of their searts for 75 years and if the sport can internally tidy things up, then I honestly believe speedway can emerge in 2004 in a far stronger position."

 

Mods - wasn't sure whether this was relevant enough to make the Way Ahead section, so please move it if it fits the bill!

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Agree that it isn't too healthy knowing that you may be replaced but from a business point of view I don't think you would get promoters agreeing. If a rider is not doing the biz and the team is losing then the promoter owes it to himself and his patrons to try and do something about it.

Sometimes the moves backfire (witness the changes often made at Belle Vue), but I can't see the promoters agreeing to having their hands tied like that.

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Introducing caps on the transfers is football was possibly the worst thing thats happened in the sport for ages.

 

Don't introduce stupid transfer windows into speedway.

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Personally I don't think it is feasible in speedway.

 

The nature of the sport means that, as we have seen all too often recently sadly, injuries play their part.

 

In addition, football clubs have vast squads of players to pick from. In speedway thats just not viable as riders are paid by points and not salaried

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I can't see the promoters agreeing to having their hands tied like that.

 

According to John Bailey his hands were tied for the first four months of THIS season :!: ;) :-(

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Guest Sir Lunchalot

I can see Sam's point though, it cuts both ways.

 

Must be disheartening for a rider to make a sizeable investment in machinery etc and after a bad run be shown the door. Promoters don't like it when riders decide to suddenly jump ship, I can't see why it should be any different the other way around.

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Don't they have transfer deadlines in Sweden or Poland already? I guess they operate more of a squad system in those countries so maybe it works better with more riders available to track in a season. And isn't there a cut-off over here anyway towards the end of a season when you can't make changes, so perhaps this is already happening in a limited form.

 

I quite liked the red/yellow card idea...although I've not seen many meetings when there are frequent attempts at dangerous riding for it to be used a lot. Perhaps this could be expanded for delaying the start and other rules where fines are currently handed out to riders. Maybe then it could be not so extreme as chucking a rider out of a meeting, but could operate as in football where when you've accumulated so many red/yellow cards you get a fine or match ban or something. Just a thought...

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I can't see the promoters agreeing to having their hands tied like that.

 

According to John Bailey his hands were tied for the first four months of THIS season :!: ;) :-(

 

surely he shouldn't let his home life get in the way of speedway though - no wonder hull are doing so bad this year lol

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I can see Sam's point though, it cuts both ways.

 

Must be disheartening for a rider to make a sizeable investment in machinery etc and after a bad run be shown the door. Promoters don't like it when riders decide to suddenly jump ship, I can't see why it should be any different the other way around.

 

A good point Lunchy, and one that could be addressed by riders/promoters signing a contract which allows for compensation to either party in the event of a breach (and I'm assuming that current contracts aren't worded in this way).

 

If a promoter sees fit for business reasons to replace one of his riders, he may do so provided he finds the rider alternative employment (a place in another team) or financially compensates him for loss of earnings etc.

 

Conversely, if a rider sees fit for personal reasons to ask for a move or withhold his services during the season, the promoter could then seek compensation to allow him to source a replacement.

 

Seems logical to me - any thoughts?

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Ahhh

Easier for a promotor to enforce a contract ............

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