Lawrence

[TMW 533]

Where as I appreciate the need for teams to be competitive and making changes to line ups is an essential part of this but....

 

Did Nick really deserved to be publicly humiliated in such a way by his team management in the SS this week. Just a couple of lines normally does it

 

.........has been replace by...... We thank him for his services is the normal format. Team Management are generally very supportive of their team members, publicaly

 

If nick is lucky enough to get another team how long will that take to get out of his system before he can start building himself up to perform.

 

Apart from Matt Wright, not sure what he is doing now, Nick was the only one who was not snapped up from the old Mildenhall.

 

Maybe I am the only one who has taken offence from the article and if that is the case I'l admit I am wrong I am not a huge officianado when it cmes to speedway and sometimes struggle to understand the why's and wherefors but I'm not sure this lad deserved this.

[Parsloes 1928 nearly 495]

I do agree - I was pretty shocked to read that too... I guess all one say is that Michael Lee is one for speaking his mind... Though seemed a tad harsh that not just Michael but also Rob Henry are seemingly quoted being really a bit too scathing for the benefit of the confidence of a young man who has IMHO always given 100% out on track for the Fen Tigers...

[Khabiboulin 4]

It does seem a bit harsh. I doubt he'll ever progress beyond his current level but he's obviously keen and puts the effort in so probably didn't deserve such public criticism.

 

By the way, you've spelt his name wrong: it's Laurence

[Baldy 69]

I only saw the lad ride once and he did look a little short of the standard required, BUT the way that the situation was handled(or the way it looked like it was)very poor indeed. Confidence plays a massive part in all that we do, once broken it can be very difficult to gain back.

[2ndbendpostie 28]

Where as I appreciate the need for teams to be competitive and making changes to line ups is an essential part of this but....

 

Did Nick really deserved to be publicly humiliated in such a way by his team management in the SS this week. Just a couple of lines normally does it

 

.........has been replace by...... We thank him for his services is the normal format. Team Management are generally very supportive of their team members, publicaly

 

If nick is lucky enough to get another team how long will that take to get out of his system before he can start building himself up to perform.

 

Have I missed something somewhere, Nick is shown as riding this weekend against the Isle of Wight, so why would he be looking for a new team ?

[Parsloes 1928 nearly 495]

Have I missed something somewhere, Nick is shown as riding this weekend against the Isle of Wight, so why would he be looking for a new team ?

 

You've missed the piece in the Star this week containing quotes from Lee & Henry which are none too complimentary and saying they intend to replace Nick..

[tas 0]

i know Nick trys hard he is a lovely lad and so wanted to do well. I have not been able to get my speedway star this week so haven't seen it. No rider should be publicly slated. I am gutted for the lad and wish him well.

[Bagpuss 10,784]

It seems to be the way that Michael Lee wants to run the team at Mildenhall, just shows the difference between a stand alone NL team and the junior side of a PL/EL club I guess. He gave all bar two of the Fen Tigers a public roasting after their defeat at Belle Vue despite the Colts being one of the stronger sides in the NL and most of Mildenhall's riders not being familiar with Kirky Lane.

 

I can understand the need for a competitive team at West Row to keep the punters coming through the gate but it doesn't sound like the best environment for promising youngsters like Jacobs and Blackbird to be learning in when they are likely to get a public dressing down if they don't perform. It seems to fly in the face of what Kevin Jolly wanted to bring to Mildenhall when interviewed in the Speedway Stars shortly after taking the club on.

[2ndbendpostie 28]

You've missed the piece in the Star this week containing quotes from Lee & Henry which are none too complimentary and saying they intend to replace Nick..

As this reserve berth is "being kept warm" for Cameron Heeps, then I assume that Nick knew it was a temporary position anyway,and Chris Louis has said if Heeps isnt here by the end of May then he would be looking for a new reserve, so not exactly a suprise is it.

[norwichkev 66]

It seems to be the way that Michael Lee wants to run the team at Mildenhall, just shows the difference between a stand alone NL team and the junior side of a PL/EL club I guess. He gave all bar two of the Fen Tigers a public roasting after their defeat at Belle Vue despite the Colts being one of the stronger sides in the NL and most of Mildenhall's riders not being familiar with Kirky Lane.

 

I can understand the need for a competitive team at West Row to keep the punters coming through the gate but it doesn't sound like the best environment for promising youngsters like Jacobs and Blackbird to be learning in when they are likely to get a public dressing down if they don't perform. It seems to fly in the face of what Kevin Jolly wanted to bring to Mildenhall when interviewed in the Speedway Stars shortly after taking the club on.

Any young rider who wants to progress I would suggest would have no better people in the U.K. to learn from. Last meeting there were the most young riders for a second half I can recall for many a long while, tells it's own story I suggest.

 

There is another side to it - harden the youngsters up from an early age and instill the killer competitive edge - look at the Aussie's throw them in the deep end and they will swim to the top or drown, doesn't seem to have harmed Messer's Crump, Holder, Ward, North, Poole etc. If e.g. JJ or Nick or any other rider is not performing but showboating it is quite right that they are told, if a bit of criticism affects them that much then maybe they are in the wrong sport - I suspect both are stronger characters than that.

 

Also remember that the supporters pay the wages, and expect to see riders perform - look at the EL / PL forums and see the whingeing of individual riders - I would rather hear from Promoters etc how they see it and what action will be taken if things are not rectified. There should be no comfort zone.

[TMW 533]

Any young rider who wants to progress I would suggest would have no better people in the U.K. to learn from. Last meeting there were the most young riders for a second half I can recall for many a long while, tells it's own story I suggest.

 

There is another side to it - harden the youngsters up from an early age and instill the killer competitive edge - look at the Aussie's throw them in the deep end and they will swim to the top or drown, doesn't seem to have harmed Messer's Crump, Holder, Ward, North, Poole etc. If e.g. JJ or Nick or any other rider is not performing but showboating it is quite right that they are told, if a bit of criticism affects them that much then maybe they are in the wrong sport - I suspect both are stronger characters than that.

 

Also remember that the supporters pay the wages, and expect to see riders perform - look at the EL / PL forums and see the whingeing of individual riders - I would rather hear from Promoters etc how they see it and what action will be taken if things are not rectified. There should be no comfort zone.

 

Riders are still human beings...but I take your point anyway none of us know whether Nic was affected.. I was just putting my point of view.

[Halifaxtiger 5,318]

My own personal view is that public criticism rarely does any good. I doubt if there are many of us who haven't experienced either being on the end of it or seeing someone else who is - at work, playing sport or otherwise - and only exceptionally has the person concerned bounced back. Usually, they go down further.

 

In this context, as long as there is a degree of trust in the management to do what is necessary supporters have no need to know what is going on between promoters, team managers and riders or, at worst, only general comment needs to be made. It is only when it is obvious that changes are overdue and nothing happens that more specific clarification doesn't go amiss.

 

When I first read the title of this thread, I was surprised because public criticism of riders is hardly unheard of. I haven't read the article, but words 'harsh' 'shocked' 'very poor' are almost equally unheard of when members of this forum comment on such criticism, suggesting that this is unusually aggressive.

 

The thing is that Nick Laurence's average has dropped less than Joe Jacobs and James Brundle's has decreased by about the same, so anyone might wonder why they aren't being criticised in the same way. At Stoke last week, while Laurence was out of his depth the only angry remarks I heard from the West Row faithful were directed at Brundle when he pulled on to the centre green while at the back.

 

Then again, its much easier to have a go at a No 7 you can replace than a No 1 you can't, isn't it ?

Edited May 29, 2011 by Halifaxtiger

[Bagpuss 10,784]

Any young rider who wants to progress I would suggest would have no better people in the U.K. to learn from. Last meeting there were the most young riders for a second half I can recall for many a long while, tells it's own story I suggest.

 

There is another side to it - harden the youngsters up from an early age and instill the killer competitive edge - look at the Aussie's throw them in the deep end and they will swim to the top or drown, doesn't seem to have harmed Messer's Crump, Holder, Ward, North, Poole etc. If e.g. JJ or Nick or any other rider is not performing but showboating it is quite right that they are told, if a bit of criticism affects them that much then maybe they are in the wrong sport - I suspect both are stronger characters than that.

 

Also remember that the supporters pay the wages, and expect to see riders perform - look at the EL / PL forums and see the whingeing of individual riders - I would rather hear from Promoters etc how they see it and what action will be taken if things are not rectified. There should be no comfort zone.

 

I accept that Lee, Louis & Jolly represent an excellent bank of experience and knowledge from which youngsters can learn, but I just question public carpeting of young riders after a bad performance. I don't recall reading about any showboating at Belle Vue, and I thought it was a bit of an over reaction by Lee after a defeat to a very good side. Scunthorpe and Rye house both have good records of producing good young riders and I can't remember Rob Godfrey or Len Silver going bananas when they lose an away match, although as I said its a bit different for a stand alone club I suspect.

 

I agree to an extent about the comfort zone.....I think one of the reasons that young Aussies do so well when they come over is that they have to perform well to arguably afford to ride and feed themselves; they are a determined bunch, thousands of miles from home and more often than not succeed. Over the last few years the British GP riders have tended to get 'free passes' into the GP's for example and thats not a good thing; the latest example of this kind of treatment is Josh Auty (our best young rider at present) getting a wild card into the British final despite failing to get through his semi.

 

As with most issues I just think the situation needs a bit of balance.....I wouldn't expect the manager of a stand alone team to roll over and accept a hiding but neither do I think that public rollickings do young riders any good. If words have to be said then do it in private and make sure you're not knocking a young lad's confidence in so doing.

[SCB 0]

Thing that makes me laugh is a few weeks back Mike Lee was spunking himself over a few close home wins and saying how good they were, seemingly oblivious to the fact that it suggested they were going to struggle away from home.

[gaptooth 136]

well done 2day Nick, keep it up matey