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Late to the fun as ever but I thought the final race was very odd. Pairs events have always worked on the basis that not finishing last is more important than finishing first, so why Tai felt the need to race Laguta is a mystery. Ok, when you see a rider slowing down (Zagar in the first meeting springs to mind) its quite strange as it goes against the nature of racing but those are the rules. Woffinden was out of this world over the two meetings so it seems harsh to criticise but it is a valid point. Our only chance was him helping Lambert. He didn't and we lost.

That's funny because in that final race he was and right on his back wheel That's disappointing to hear... perhaps Speedway is not the sport I thought it was or maybe it's just the difference between winners and losers so we would have gone from a losing position to... a losing position

How many times did we see slowing down during the SWC for the Joker? It's nothing new to the highest levels of our sport. If Tai played darts he'd be the type to hit hit a 180 during a pairs match when on 183 - individually brilliant but tactically a dreadful decision.

Team looks awful after that re declaration.. full of riders on there way down or not good enough.. At least Poole wont finish bottom now

Looks like we will do http://www.poolepirates.co/news/2018-06-11_tough-finals-night-for-richie.html

As is moving someone over, diving up the inside, making a blast around the outside. I once saw a rider crash and break his leg because he was trying to pass someone. Next time folks complain about a dull meeting, I'll mention it. Manzares was simply out of his depth and made a mistake. As for 'thinking of Poland'. Yes of course they were.. Tai thought "I'm in Poland tomorrow, I'll just take a safe second". No he went hell for leather after winning the race. Lambert and Sayfutdinov nearly collided and had zero thought of Poland the next day either. Still good to see folks getting creative to try and avoid simply saying, Great performance GB, messed up the tactics in the final,we'll learn next time. Was it on this thread or another where Krompa, or perhaps another Polish poster, posted the video of Tomasz Gollob, slowing Tommy Knudsen (no mug) down and eventually getting his partner through?

Maybe just maybe they were thinking of Poland on the following Sunday where they would be earning fortunes which they couldn’t do if they were injured trying to play games and risk ending up in the fence.

We obviously had a plan but it didn't survive the first two bends, after which the Russians were in front. Bit difficult to come up with plan B in the middle of a speedway race. Out of interest, how many times in the whole SoN did a rider in front successfully slow a race down to let his partner get through?

Still waiting for an explanation of why it makes perfect sense to NOT try to win a gold medal. You advocate it. Phillip Rising advocates it. Seems Team GB advocated it. Champions League Final.. Liverpool trail Milan 3-0.. co managers Phil Rising and Sommelier.. "Shut up shop lads, let's not concede anymore. Silver is great! We can't take risks and chase the game at this level, not in a final, the standard is far too high" Superbowl 51.. New England trail Atlanta by 25pts.. head coach Phil Rising... you get the idea. Now apply it to Speedway of Nations Pairs Final.. Sayfutidnov gets into 3rd on bend 2.. less then 15% into the race and you're advocating throwing in the white towel.

I am at the track,, looks like a decent crowd again, it is probably somewhere between 4000-5000.

Actually the issue has NOT been answered at all. In fact what has just been revealed is that we now KNOW they got the tactics wrong on Saturday AND now, in addition, we know that they still haven't worked that fact out. Amazing.

Does seem strange that he felt going for and holding on to a 5-1 was a strategy,but trying to get a 3-3 and hold it wasn’t on the cards

How is it fair? It's nonsensical, or did I miss a new set of riders being shipped in for the final that were of a much higher standard than the others? Actually, in consideration his comments do make perfect sense.. it's the conclusion that is nonsensical. Basically it's being said the final is of a higher standard, riders going for it to a greater degree so therefore it's much more difficult to beat the opposition.... conclusion, we'll leave Lambert on his own, sure he needed a bit of help when the standard was lower, but now it's higher he'll be fine as he is! Sorry.. but the argument Tai puts forward once again leads to one conclusion.. the wrong tactics were used.

TOP BRIT Tai Woffinden says it was ‘good to be back’ riding for his country last week. The Scunthorpe born double World Champion scored a stunning 38 points out of a possible 39 in the Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations Final. But it wasn’t quite enough to hand GB the gold as Russia pipped them to the post in the final – despite Woffinden winning the race. Now he’s looking forward to a bright new future for the national side under the franchise ownership of Rob Painter and Vicky Blackwell through their VRX Motorsport team. “This is the first stage of a five-year plan for GB and whilst Rob Painter (team supremo) is making all the right noises I’ll be alongside him, he said. “I want to say I’m proud of young Robert Lambert, he did a great job throughout the tournament and also a special mention to Craig Cook who travelled with us and was a big member for us as part of the team. “It was good to be back racing for my country on a team basis.” Woffinden has explained the circumstances behind the final in Poland – he won the decider but with Russian duo Artem Laguta and Emil Sayfutdinov claiming second and third they effectively won the race 3+1-3. He said: “The plan was to win the final 5-1 or 4-2 and we knew we could do that so that was the goal. “In a final like that you cannot slow down the race like I did in previous heats. The competition is just too good, maybe 10 years ago you could but at world level now anyone can beat anyone and you have to do the best job you can. “Unfortunately the event rules state if you’re second and third you’re better then the winner! “There’s not many things in life where you get rewarded for losing! “I would like to congratulate Emil and Artem for their world title and look forward to doing it all again next year.” Woffinden has also congratulated newly crowned British Champion Lambert, who romped to the title with a six-ride maximum in Manchester on Monday. “He’s the future,” said Woffinden. “Congratulations to him, he deserves it. I know what it means to win your first national title and it’s pretty special.”

I'd be happy with Kus at number 7

They need to strengthen up and replace Clegg with the extra 1.81 available, only way they will get near the top 4 imo!

Likewise!! Have a programme for every meeting I have attended since I first went in 1976. Stored lovingly in boxes and looked at when the need for nostalga arises!! Would be gutted if they stopped!!

Don't really understand how you can get the full experience of a speedway meeting without filling in a programme. Still, each to his own...... But if you want to try it without any cost go onto the Speedway Plus website (http://speedwayplus.com/) where you can create your own race card and it doesn't cost you anything. (League matches only)

IMO the same thing is happening in Speedway with SGB Championship programmes now mainly costing between £2.50 - £3.00. With the Speedway Star running a rating feature on each track's programme, it appears that some Promotions have entered into a vanity contest to be top dog, with the result that larger, in terms of size and number of pages, are being produced, which in turn has resulted in the prices rocketing. If they reverted to producing a more compact & smaller sized version at about £1 - £1.50, I wonder if those who now print off a basic scoresheet to fill in, might be tempted to purchase a low cost Official programme instead?

Just maybe we might want to keep Perks and if that should be the case knowing it would be a short term signing do you think Shanes would want to sign for Panthers when he could get a full time position somewhere else.

He's been riding here for what, 10 years? Bit of a funny one. Maybe somethings happened in his personal life that's stopping him somehow from being allowed to work here. Is weired, but not our business. And to think it was stated on here that Ford, wouldn't let him go on loan in 2018. But wanted to sell him..

My guess would be OUT Bjerre Smith Gravesen IN Josh g Nicol Georgie wood

Tai: “The plan was to win the final 5-1 or 4-2 and we knew we could do that so that was the goal" Pure genius, tactical wizardry right there.

thank you bogbooby .

Then someone needs a kick up the arse for not having a plan B prior to the race!

I hope you've got a extra large back garden then.

IMO the speedway programme has become dated, a simple race card would do just as good a job.

Pulling out an old programme from your collection is like hearing that old tune on the wireless, seeing an old photograph from your prime. Can’t beat that feeling… glancing down the line-up, the blank racecard and remembering your youthful anticipation, the team line-ups, riders you’d never heard of… a blank programme as we entered the unknown for the next 90 minutes. I couldn’t get rid of my collection - 40 years of my life.

Impossible to calculate unless you have the full spreadsheet and know which meetings are dropping off for each set of rolling figures (and remember to reduce the sample size by 2 each month)

Welcome A mystery that BT Sport felt was not worth investigating... so over to the Speedway Star journalists to see if one of those will ask Roscoe or Tai.

It's on at the moment on BT Sport 2, it started at 12.30 but like tonight it is the 2 hour condensed version.

Thats the answer to question 7.....

Pretty sure Poole's 1-7 are in riding order! - unless Middlo makes a late change! Kings Lynn won't be because we don't yet know both guests.

Is that apart from PSG?

I agree. But when some idiot attacks me. I'll defend myself.

The programme for Speedway is an important part of the meeting not just an informative piece of journalism. filling in the programme adds to the enjoyment of the meeting and provides a memory jerker for the owner. iT will be a sad day if there were no programmes

Congratulation to Robert on a wonderful victory last night becoming the new British Champion. so remmonissant of that night in Coventry back in 1978 when Michael Lee won that same coveted crown. Never thought that night could ever be over shadowed, but last night came really close. Robert was superb and demonstrated his ability by winning each and every race. From the gate, or from the back it made no difference. he really was majestic..... Well done that man........ BRITISH CHAMPION 2018 : Robert Lambert......

The problem is looking back at this thread you ruthlessly attack not only the Tai haters but anyone who has any criticism of him or dare to suggest he may have made a mistake. Get over it, we all make mistakes even Britain's top rider, look at your own posts, all week having a dig at Rossiter , Why, how is that deserved ? You wouldn't be a Rosco hater would you ? 5 years in charge , 4th, 5th, 2nd,4th and now 2nd again , how any your comments any different to the Tai haters ?

THIS is where we differ and I have spoken to riders about this. Slowing Emil down on a track like Wroclaw, so wide with many racing lines, is a huge ask and throughout Saturday it didn't look as though Robert was as fast as he was on Friday. Russia had a rehearsal in Heat 19 (think that was it) and would have been buoyed by that. The consensus I have got is that if Tai had slowed down Emil would have passed him.

Hated trying to fill out a programme on glossy paper.Old style programme was much easier to fill out.GP programme is basically a magazine and no idea what one costs nowadays,but probably neigh on an admission price for a meeting(at least a german one) As an add on to the opening post,the football programme/magazine for my local club Hamburg are handed out free of charge around the stadium.Could well be at most or all Bundesliga games.I remember being p'd off when I came over to see Celtic play Dortmund back in the 80s and there were no programme sellers to be seen......

Agree, in my youth I was an avid collector of programmes of speedway, football and ice hockey going back to the 1920's. Still get them out occasionally to look at them. I love them from a historical point of view. The last time I went to a premier league football match it was more like a glossy magazine full of stuff that didn't interest me, for which they wanted £6. I didn't bother. Gone are the days when programmes were a cheap and simple addition to the match day experience.

The way it was, with GB best under 21 rider at reserve, it gave GB the greatest flexability, Tai was likely to be riding well (but there again who would have thought Majic, Dudek, Emil would not have been at their best), Cook may have found his form, but in case either of them faltered (and Cook did) then GB had a on form reserve. The alternative suggested has been Tai and Lambert in the team with (under 21) Bewley at reserve. Had Tai or lambert had a poor day, or fell and injured (like Hukenberg) then would Dan be able to rise to the occasion? Lets face it, he is brilliant considering he not been riding too long, but at a senior world championship level - he would be very vulnerable. So, its my opinion, the team selection was correct, and the way the reserve was used was also correct.

I have always been a great admirer of Tai's on-track exploits and there is no doubt there is a strong case to say he is Britain's best-ever. Certainly in the top 4. And the way he rode during the SON certainly emphasises that and furthers his cause in that respect no end. So, like a lot of posters on here who have commented on the final race, I have no dislike of Tai nor any need to "attack" him. And I find it speaks volumes for the paucity of the argument of others when they have to resort to that line of reasoning when trying to answer the criticism that he should have done more to help Lambert in the final. It would be much better to give some sort of reasoned argument why they feel his tactics in the last race were correct rather than attacking everyone as "Tai haters". To his credit, Philip has tried to do just that without ad hominem attacks, but, in my opinion, has failed miserably to make out any case at all why Tai should have just gone for the win and forget his partner. Yes, we know the chances of his shepherding Rob through past the world class Sayfutdinov were close to zero, but there was no alternative, given the rules. What difference did it make to the overall position that Tai storms off to win? There was only one chance of victory last night and that was for Rob not to come last. Other than last himself, it was irrelevant where Tai finished up. He could have stormed off and won in a new track record for all the difference it made. The only tactic he had was to hang back and try and help, however difficult that was. Can someone please give a good reason why they think Tai was right to do what he did without dismissing people who disagree as "Tai haters"?

Berwick Bandits Supporters Club were busy busy last night. First presentation was to all the academy riders that were present last night also a cheque was presented to Colin Easton and Alan Ferro to sponsor a forthcoming junior meeting. Last presentation was to Jye Etheridge who was in the wars at Redcar to help towards a new helmet and bike repairs.

Take no notice of Scottyfan, always moaning about something!

Long-winded? I'm trying to HELP you. Okay, here's an alternative: Poor, amateur effort with many errors but I've seen worse. Other are already doing it better. Don't see the point. There, is that better? You know best. Exactly how does this promote speedway?

Tough times down in Dorset, even the locals are losing their sense of humour.

Not the most up to date figures HT http://www.bbc.com/news/business-43820603 2016/17 saw Premier League clubs record a profit of £500 million. All 20 clubs made an operating profit, 18 made pre-tax profit. Premier League clubs have made a profit in three of the last four years.

To state the blatantly obvious: Newcastle and Sunderland in Championship and say Norwich and Burnley in top flight then Premier League average attendance is 10/15,000 different because of size of grounds and fanbase, promote one or both of those two and replace Bournemouth with Leeds or one of the Sheffield clubs and a massive change in the average ... and the opportunity for some to say that crowds in the Championship have plummeted . "There's lies, damn lies ... and then statistics "

Speedways fan base has collapsed in this country, with the vast majority of tracks hemmoraging money. The British public has voted with it's feet, and I can't ever see them coming back.