Bagpuss 10,846 Posted June 2, 2015 IF Cook has declined the opportunity to ride in Poland it's a great shame. I've long said that I don't believe he has reached his full potential but he won't reach that until he rides abroad a lot more. If he is content riding and earning well in the two leagues over here then good luck to him but I hope he doesn't regret it when he retires. As a Team GB supporter it frustrating but I wish him well. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Triple.H. 1,996 Posted June 2, 2015 There's always the possibility that the translation isn't quite right. Or more likely our Polish friends doing a bit of stirring as they tend to think the rider only rides for them. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ruffdiamond 6,115 Posted June 2, 2015 He might scared of flying, or something,,, I don't like flying on planes, cos it's boring and I've got long legs and you can't smoke :-( Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kelvinht 357 Posted June 2, 2015 IF Cook has declined the opportunity to ride in Poland it's a great shame. I've long said that I don't believe he has reached his full potential but he won't reach that until he rides abroad a lot more. If he is content riding and earning well in the two leagues over here then good luck to him but I hope he doesn't regret it when he retires. As a Team GB supporter it frustrating but I wish him well. Â Exactly. Until he, or any other Brit learns to ride the big fast European tracks (not the smaller/trick tracks in the UK), they will never compete on the world stage. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
allthegearbutnaeidea 1,746 Posted June 2, 2015 Cook doesnt have the ambition, got talent but is completely wasted, one of the most talented riders around Berwick by far in the past 10 years but seems to waste it by posting stupid things on social media and not taking up opportunities that everybody else would bite at the chance to take Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fromafar 10,491 Posted June 2, 2015 Yes i believe & thought he was trying to make it in Poland. That was the reason he gave for pulling out of the Ben Fund due to his bikes in Poland!!He is in the Stal Squad this season .He practiced there with them at their Squad day. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ouch 1,200 Posted June 2, 2015 Belle Vue are building him a nice big Polish sized track that he can ride to his hearts content. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bruiser McHuge 589 Posted June 2, 2015 People love knocking don't they.. Â Craig Cook has had a fine career, even if it's peak is now.....I don't ever recall people knocking the likes of Tom Owen for sitting on 11 point National League averages with no ambition to ride British League at all....he made plenty of money though ! I can't see the obsession with riding in Poland anyway...fine if you are genuinely a world class rider or heavily sponsored to do it....fine if you are very young and ambitious...but it is honestly not the be all and end all in my opinion for a lot of riders that are not going to be GP riders .....I would sooner be the top rider in the PL and riding full time in the PL and making a good living...there is nothing wrong with Cook's career and if opportunities arise in Poland that don't actually put him out of pocket then that's good....at his age and stage of career I certainly wouldn't bankrupt myself just to ride there ....I do think that for youngsters with the potential to get to the real top then they should try and get Polish clubs though as it is required to be a top internatinal star these days, but they could do with doing it early on 9 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
homer 168 Posted June 2, 2015 Didn`t do Carl Stonehewer bad being top of PL level even qualified for GP`s . 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
baba 562 Posted June 2, 2015 Craigs doing what he wants to do and that is what id do if in his boots. I wouldnt be particularly concerned with what people on a forum want for me or wish I could be. What gets me is some peoples view's with the barbed comments. If you dont like craig then stop bleeting about it you would be all rubbish at poker I.m.o. . Some posters on here dont attend speedway anymore..dont watch it anymore on sky for whatever reason but im looking forward to the day when they cant be bothered posting on here anymore. Oh here comes the 1960 brigade with the usual moans about freedom of speech and speedway was better back then, thats debatable b.t.w. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mr Blobby 2,701 Posted June 2, 2015 (edited) The usual suspects out in force i see. Craig is doing things differently this season bike wise different frames, new engine tuner witch he is still getting used to. Â All the people that can't wait to put him down are the people that just don't like him thats all, nothing to do with his ability. Edited June 2, 2015 by Mr Blobby 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
baba 562 Posted June 2, 2015 Blobby its the very same people who spit the dummy out when people dont agree with them on here. I shouldn't like cookie that much cause who he rides for ( the east coast bum merchants) but rider wise absolutely amazing and he gets on folks nerves cause the way he behaves but folk moan on here that theres no characters in speedway anymore. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bagpuss 10,846 Posted June 3, 2015 The usual suspects out in force i see. Craig is doing things differently this season bike wise different frames, new engine tuner witch he is still getting used to. Â All the people that can't wait to put him down are the people that just don't like him thats all, nothing to do with his ability. The only thing 'usual' is your ultra defensive claptrap. This thread is actually quite a good discussion with, on the whole, some very balanced views. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
weatherwatcher 664 Posted June 3, 2015 Thank you Gordon for trying to bring some sort of sense into the thread again, And not the clap trap we get from a load of bleeting sheep. Craig Cook, has been given his chance, time and time again, when he was picked for the British team, I am afraid he failed against the worlds top riders, when he got his chance last season in the British GP, he was very much lacking and it truly made him look the rider he is a top PL level rider, if he had uped his game after a couple of seasons trying to get a ride either in Poland or Sweden, then he may or may not have improved, that I doubt very much. He has reached as far as he is going to, that is fine by me, hope that he has a few more years as heat leader in the PL, he should keep that for at least another 5 or 6 six years, he has got a capital expenditure, that he is happy with and I think that is where he is happy doing what he is doing, without taking on large bank loans to get bikes and engines that he would have to buy to even try and compete. There are many more riders who stay in whatever league there are happy with. Shame really that Cook gets all the flack. The big problem with him is the way he rabbits on that again this year, he is going to take on the world of speedway, without ever delivering the goods, how many times now have we heard that from him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ouch 1,200 Posted June 3, 2015 I think if the SWC had been anywhere else he would have been in the team, in place of Lambert. As much as I like Craig I would pick Lambert ahead of him at Saddlebow Rd. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
