No Woffinden....

[Gavan 5,050]

Rosco should now announce tai will Not be picked for team GB for the sake of British speedway.

 

If he doesn't then he should resign as no rider is bigger than the country they are representing and if a rider turns down the British final he should be left out of the national team.

You are really a very sad and quite pathetic individual.

 

Mark Loram turned down the British Final one year was that ok with you?

 

You ok with Scott Nicholls and the late Lee Richardson not wanting to ride for their country? Or was that ok because they didnt grow up in Australia?

 

Look at the bigger picture.

 

British Semi Final 1 is the day before a GP and British Semi Final 2 is just after.

The British Final is also just before a GP

 

Tai would no doubt be looking to have recieved a wildcard to the final and then with an important GP around the corner maybe still wouldnt have risked it.

 

He has been champion 3 times. The bigger goal is the World crown. Wouldnt it be nice if our only chance of a world champion was injured in the British Semi or Final itself and therefore couldnt then compete!!

 

He is giving himself the best opportunity to be World Champion and the idiots on here like yourself start trotting out the same old crap that he is an Aussie.!!

 

The guy has done nothing but promote British Speedway and has put plans in place and hit out at the way the sport is run in this country to try and change it for the better.

 

Do yourself a favour pal and stop spouting the crap.

 

If Tai gets booed at Cardiff it will be one of the most disgraceful things i will have ever seen in the sport.

Will Scott Nicholls get booed when he pulls the Team GB suit on???

 

You fools saying he should ride would obviously love to see him pole-axed by say an over enthusiastic Garrity and miss 3or 4 GP'S

 

The British Final once was a stepping stone to the World Crown. It isnt now and to run it when they have puts Tai's participation in doubt and i want him to be World Champion rather than British Champion.

 

Maybe the time has come for the final to be early March or a 1 off event at the end of the season and choose a different way to choose the wildcard at Cardiff. You can bet if the British Final was late September Tai would ride

 

Darn you're right.

 

He's unproven on any other tracks.

 

As for not racing in the British Final? Good call if the semi's are either side of the GP. Winning the World Title is his No 1 priority.

 

I do find it amusing though that many of the people moaning he isn't riding in it, are the very same people who were moaning he WAS riding in it when not racing in this country.

spot on mate.

 

absolute clowns on her slagging him off, not understanding why he has done it and trotting out the usual ' he is an Aussie' garbage

[Fromafar 10,375]

Not a Woffy fan,but don't see what all the fuss is about,the same fans moaning watch their speedway every week with riders missing ,guests,R/R yet get all excited about a rider missing a meeting .He could have said nothing and just got "a sickness bug" on the week of the British Final.

[ColinMills 1,728]

Sorry Colin, can't agree with your comments here. Bomber gets slated by all & sundry on here for "not being good enough to be in the GP's", so I don't see everyone here standing up & cheering him on, when all he does is gets criticised. Your choice not support Woffinden & you are entitled to your view, but your comment concerning his charity work is odd. I don't think anyone else did the cycling for him, did they? Yes, we donated the money, but it was his commitment & profile that got us to do it. If you are suggesting he did that as a stunt, I think you are way off the mark. And you are right - he chose to do it, no one forced him to, it was his decision. How many other riders have?

yes he raised 1,000s, I'm sure we all have donated, did charity events, ALL amounts are important, not just the big cheques.

Of course his name carries weight in fund raising, I was just pointing out, his charity work isn't really the issue here.

And at no point, did I even suggest it was a publicity stunt.

Woffy as yet, hasn't achieved a Cardiff win, my point was bomber putting one over him in Cardiff, not winning the world title.

Until today I never thought in-different about woffy, but this stinks of the highest order. ONE DAY in a busy top class

quality rider. You will never convince me, one day will change anything about his title bid.

[Stoke Potter 242]

 

I think you will find Rooney swore directly at the camera when celebrating a goal and berated the English fans that travelled out to S. Africa in 2010 that booed the team after a disappointing result.

Not when interviewed with a microphone under his nose he didn't! And moaning about fans is a completely different issue, what's the connection? None.

[Grachan 7,362]

Its sad when a person who wanted to reach the top used the British speedway scene as it was his way really into the sport, stuck his middle finger up and really didn't want to be at wolves in 2014 or his scores and form didn't reflect somebody who was and then this is the 2 fingered salute. We are talking about an extremely fit 25 year old man who thinks 2 extra meetings is going to c3ause burn out? Does he think we are that gullible to accept that as a reason. For some reason I cant see Tai riding into his 30's, I may well be proved wrong but there is just something that kind of says he will do this for a couple more years and then call it a day and then head home to the sun.

 

It will be interesting to see the reaction he gets at Cardiff to be quite honest, it will be ok but not as it was last year. I hope the real Australian, Chris Holder is world Champion this season. Has shown apart from a short time great commitment to our league and with what he has been through the past few years nothing would be more fitting than seeing him as world champion once again.

Is that the same Chris Holder that decided not to ride in the Australian Championships?

Edited March 30, 2016 by grachan

[Stoke Potter 242]

For some reason I cant see Tai riding into his 30's, I may well be proved wrong but there is just something that kind of says he will do this for a couple more years and then call it a day and then head home to the sun.

 

You're not the only one who thinks that.

[Coventry_Bee 467]

The Australian championships that runs in line with our season? And you really think after the end of season he had he wanted to just get away from speedway? That's like asking why doesn't Greg do the American series😁.

 

Is the Australian championship run over a semi and final? Or is it held all over the shop over a few rounds? Same as Denmark am I right in thinking?

 

 

 

Is that the same Chris Holder that decided not to ride in the Australian Championships?

Edited March 30, 2016 by Coventry_Bee

[BWitcher 12,453]

What a load of verbal diarrhoea most people on here have spouted. Woffinden was born in England & his parents opted to emigrate to Australia. I don't see how that is his fault & anyone in his position will have a natural affinity with the country & it's people. He grew up there & essentially, it is "home" to him. I have a friend who moved there about 3 years ago & already calls it home.

 

He chose to represent the country of his birth, but could easily have elected to race for Australia, but didn't. You can argue it was a choice of convenience all you like, but for someone with the confidence he has always had in his own ability, he would have backed himself to get in an Aussie side any day, so the "He races for GB because he couldn't get in the Aussie side" argument is bollox.

 

He has always been the first to hold his hand up & race in the SWC, just like Bomber has & has excelled very time, just as Bomber has, but he gets a slating from all and sundry as well, because he "doesn't deserve his place in the GP". Brits can't win, can they? Bomber races in every meeting going & gets slated, Woffinden picks his racing & gets slated. Brilliant.

 

The British Championship means almost nothing these days, unlike in the heady days of the 70's & even the 80's & 90's when there were many world class Brits & several who could win it in any given year, unlike now, when the reality is Woffinden has no real competition & only has to turn up.

 

If you doubt his commitment - PC dropped out of the BL in 1981 & I remember the uproar when he was denied a place in the WC qualifiers that year, almost everyone came in on his side after the BSPA said he couldn't compete - he even considered taking out a foreign licence to do so, Wiggy did that, took out a foreign licence to race in the WC's back in the late 90's & early noughties. Nicholls refused to race for Team GB & so did the sadly missed Lee Richardson. Assume that's all OK, because everyone wants to bash Woffinden, yet institutions like PC & Wiggy can do what they want. Nicholls is BRitish & proud, but had his reasons for not competing & his decision was respected by most, what is the difference between those I have mentioned & Woffinden. Nowt, as far as I can see.

 

Woffinden may not be everyone's cup of tea, but don't slate him for looking after his own interests. Many, many riders have done so in the past, usually winners, which, unless I am mistaken, is the name of the game. Ivan Mauger did exactly the same thing & he did OK out of it, didn't he. Woffinden is THE most professional rider in speedway at the moment, which is why he is a double world champion. Speedway is a sport, not a popularity contest & the best know it. Do you think sponsors will care what a few whingers on a forum think, when their man is all across the TV & media promoting them? Of course. Many riders have cut down on their racing due the hectic schedules they have. How many world class stars have stopped racing in the UK - dozens, because it's a pain in the ass with different race days, flights in & out & to be blunt an EL that is about as strong as the second tier sides in Poland & Sweden. So why bother?

 

The BSPA are bunch of idiots & couldn't run a bath without burning themselves, much less run a "professional sport" properly. Why do you think speedway in the UK is in the mess it is in? Riders have had to wait ages to be paid, put up with poor management & decision making & lord knows what else from the powers that be in this country. It doesn't matter if you are from Birmingham or Botswana, putting up with the crap dished out by the people that run the sport in this country is enough to drive anyone away & there have been plenty of Brit's who have felt the same. They are the ones that cause the issue, not the likes of Woffinden. If his reasoning is that he hasn't been paid on time previously, or that the dates for the semis & final are either side of a GP weekend, or whatever, then to be honest, I would back him totally. In his position I would sooner focus my energy on winning a third world title than race in what, to be honest, is at best a second rate meeting these days.

 

Regardless of you lot moaning, when he pulls on the GB colours at Cardiff & Belle Vue, there will be plenty cheering him on & if his reaction to his reception at Cardiff in he last few years is anything to go by, with the tremendous support he gets from the Cardiff crowd, he is pretty proud to represent them.

 

Finally, before I step down from my soap box, if any of you have raised the money he has for charity by doing to bike rides he has, whilst trying to compete as a professional sportsman all across Europe, I take my hat off to you & will accept all your moaning & whinging. If not, I would argue he is a better man than all of you - and me - because, despite what you lot think, he does care & cares about important stuff like raising money to help sick kids have a better life.

 

Brilliant post, agree 100% with every word of it.

Not a Woffy fan,but don't see what all the fuss is about,the same fans moaning watch their speedway every week with riders missing ,guests,R/R yet get all excited about a rider missing a meeting .He could have said nothing and just got "a sickness bug" on the week of the British Final.

 

Just as Nicki Pedersen has done before the Danish Final quite a few times... yet earlier in the thread we're told how you wouldn't see riders from other countries do it.

 

Holder is another one mentioned.... how often does he ride in the Australian Final?

 

Basically all we're seeing is the usual British trait of bashing someone who is doing well.. jealousy for the most part.. xenophobia from others.

Edited March 30, 2016 by BWitcher

[Former devil 51]

 

He didn't just ride to raise his profile. He rode out of his skin. Dislike him as much as you want but you cannot knock his effort when representing GB.

Of course 'he rode out of his skin' he gets paid per point!

[New Science 1,059]

Don't think anyone's mentioned Emil Sayfutdinov yet.

 

One of the greatest riders in the world choosing not to take part in the sport's highest competition.

And he's rightly been pilloried for it by many on this forum , Why should Woffinden be exempt just because he's British and World Champion.

[RPNY 608]

Of course 'he rode out of his skin' he gets paid per point!

Yup and thats the sole reason... Seriously.

[keepturningleft 589]

Much has been said on this thread about the the BF having been rendered almost worthless over the last few years.

 

However, it must be said that there has never been a better time to 'up the status' of this event, a view based totally on choice of venue.

 

I was at the aborted Belle Vue opener and it's crystal clear that this is going to be one hell of a venue.

Brilliant stadium, incredible track (surely), a much higher profile venue than Wolverhampton and with good local media coverage guaranteed, in Britain's 3rd city.

 

For these reasons it has to be disappointing that Tai has withdrawn.

[RPNY 608]

Much has been said on this thread about the the BF having been rendered almost worthless over the last few years.

 

However, it must be said that there has never been a better time to 'up the status' of this event, a view based totally on choice of venue.

 

I was at the aborted Belle Vue opener and it's crystal clear that this is going to be one hell of a venue.

Brilliant stadium, incredible track (surely), a much higher profile venue than Wolverhampton and with good local media coverage guaranteed, in Britain's 3rd city.

 

For these reasons it has to be disappointing that Tai has withdrawn.

Now that I can understand my friend.

[ColinMills 1,728]

just read an old on-line Sun story. Tai quotes, id love speedway to be more popular -"it annoys me when people say i used

to go to speedway and watch Mauger and Briggo, i would like to think that legacy can continue"........well thanks for

helping Tai................

[BWitcher 12,453]

And he's rightly been pilloried for it by many on this forum , Why should Woffinden be exempt just because he's British and World Champion.

 

Because Woffinden isn't choosing to dip out of the sport's highest competition.. in fact he is doing quite the opposite.