DC2

Not quite. Musielak came in on 7 July as our second tactical change. Perfectly acceptable, just as I suggested at the start of the thread.

You really think so? I suspect Sundstrom would have stayed if Matt had said “Don’t go Linus, you’re improving, the fans are getting behind you and I want you back next year”, instead of “Err ...... hi Linus, have you met Chris?”.

Well, you have two tactical changes. How much worse off would Poole be if they had kept Sundstrom and Shanes? Sundstrom was improving and Shanes had done his job and had a lot of support from the fans. Look at Shanes at Sheffield; Poole fans could have enjoyed seeing the lad improve and become a cornerstone of Poole teams in the future. There would have been real pleasure in that, wouldn’t there? Instead, you always resort to short term mercenary opportunists who have no long term future at the club.

This thread is not about operating within the rules to your advantage, it’s about changing a rule to make the PL fairer and speedway in general better. A limit of two tactical changes would prevent teams from being Johnny Come Latelies and buying the title in August and would encourage continuity of riders and consequent fan loyalty.

Derrrrrr ......... obviously ........ you have a new rider every week.

Didn’t Harris go to Poole on his Rye average? So the same would apply to Scott? I assume Leon Flint or Ryan Kinsley are too young to replace Jack.

So when are Klindt and Grajczonek leaving?

Hmmmm ......... sounds like you’re angling to get Musielak in at number 1 for Poole? Might that be this week’s change?

Poole bragging?

Nah, we’re trying to throw a few matches so your wobblers can catch up! Who’s riding for you this week?

There’s no way we should drop anyone, other than perhaps Jack Smith as he is not an asset and has not performed well enough. The only thing we need to do is replace Bellego if he will be out for injury for longer than we can manage. We should stick by all the other riders and show some loyalty, regardless of how that affects our chances of winning the title this year. I do not want to adopt Poole’s approach of buying the title with mercenary journeymen who have no connection with Swindon.

Absolutely spot on. That’s why I’ve started a thread in the PL section, “Are Poole’s team changes fair?”, to suggest only two tactical changes be allowed each season, and why in the past I’ve said that a start of year team building average should be tempered with a right for clubs to retain riders in certain circumstances regardless of the team’s average. Promoting fan loyalty in speedway should be the priority it is for consumer brand loyalty and supermarket loyalty.

I suggested two tactical changes (which include alleged loss of form - Sundstrom was actually improving!). Injury replacements are separate and any number should be allowed provided the riders are out everywhere they ride for more than 28 days.

Just had a quick look. Over the last three seasons Poole have used 34 riders and Swindon 24.

But what if the rules allowed it? For that matter they could say you can sign any player from any team that has been knocked out. Sweden under Matt Ford could have signed an all star team with Messi and Ronaldo etc, while England could have been Swindon and stuck with their starting team. Even if the rules allowed it, it doesn’t seem right, does it?

Because Poole are the biggest offenders this season (and, indeed, most seasons). But surely it’s a valid topic of discussion? How would you have felt if Sweden had signed the Brazil team before our World Cup quarter final?

Nope, Shanes and Szzzzpaniak were dropped despite increasing their averages, whereas Kurtz and Grajczonek have decreased theirs but been retained.

Well, Poole are certainly testing that theory this season; they’ve 138 left to try before August 12.

Yeah, but no one wants to ride for “hire ‘em and fire ‘em” Matt. Riders actively seek out the chance to work with a well run club like Swindon, and Rosco!

Swindon have gone from one meeting in a month, which was Away, to four meetings in nine days! Lunacy.

We’re not Poole. We’ll do our best with what we have, even if that means not winning the league. I suspect that Jack Smith was given an assurance of a season long place and only Bellego will be replaced due to his injury. Rosco will have to go with one of the CL Brits or scour Europe for the like of Milik, Mikkelsen or Hougard.

I think you'll find there's now a plaque with your name on it in the space between Shovlar and Starman.

I started the thread suggesting a limit of two tactical changes. Otherwise come the end of the season a team could have seven completely different riders and can you really then say that that “team” won the league? The cut off date for changes has helped but why not just say “only two changes” from the start? Swindon (or Wolves or Belle Vue) could keep the same team, finish top of the league and then lose in the final to fourth placed Poole who have used 12 different riders. It’s like buying the title rather than working hard for it.

David has to be replaced if he’s going to be out for more than a month. We can drop Jack Smith also only if we sacrifice half a point and redeclare at 42.5. That would leave about 7.5 and it’s only enough for two reserve standard riders, like Berge or M Riss and M B Andersen.

Who would you choose (and please give their averages)?