Subedei

And wouldn't you say that the fans play a part in paying the wages? After all, I doubt that Ford would be in a position to do so for very long if no one was packing into the stands at Wimborne Road? As such, doesn't that give members of the paying public a right to give their opinions without having you condescendingly dismiss them just because they've never ridden a speedway bike, or managed a team, in spite of watching the sport for decades? And since Team GB is a BSPA-SCB entity, which essentially means supported by the paying public the length and breadth of the country, doesn't that give every single person who pays to watch speedway in this country the right to voice an opinion without having you pompously cast them aside on spurious grounds?

What was truly disgraceful about that incident was Kelvin Tatum MBE's commentary - I wonder if he'd have been so sure and certain that Rymel should be excluded if he'd been a British rider. As it happens, I thought it was probably a fair enough decision. It could've been all four back, but so could the Nermark one later on. But, I was more than happy with the refereeing last night.

So, the default position of speedway's most celebrated "yes man" is reached - nothing to do with me, guv'nor, suggest you speak with the boss over whom I - as team manager - exercise no influence whatsoever.

I thought the referee was superb - called every decision right.

The "ov" weapon is massively over-rated (although not as over-rated as unSteady) and ineffective - I suggest you get a new one.

Allen had five rides: 5..O Allen..2,0,1,2,0 = 5 Ht 5..B Pedersen, Allen, Nermark, Tomicek 2-1-0-3 (7-8-1-14) Ht 10..Davidsson [J], Iversen, Rymel, Allen 0-6-1-2 (10-23-5-25) Ht 15..Bjerre, Lindgren, Allen, Dryml 1-2-0-3 (13-35-9-36) Ht 20..N Pedersen, Allen, Ljung, Sitera 2-1-0-3 (23.5-40.5-9-50) Ht 25..Andersen, Jonsson, Kus, Allen 0-2-1-3 (25.5-50.5-13-63)

And as you can see, both the global superstar and his acolytes are never short of excuses.

Because he's a global superstar (in his own mind) and entitled to it. Just like he's entitled to barge riders out of the way when he feels like it. If they hit the fence, tough, they shouldn't have got in his way. And if the referee excludes him, well it's just so unfair. The referee clearly isn't away of the exalted status of the "chosen one".

True, but here's the story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7114248.stm

Have you thought about asking Matt Ford to look it up? Correct me if I'm wrong, but the last time I checked there wasn't a single British rider wearing the Poole kevlars this season. And how often are the junior run-outs at Wimborne Road cancelled at short notice?

You see, the guy lives in a permanent comfort zone where he doesn't have to compete with the best. Kicking him out of the GPs would either make him or break him. I suspect the latter, since he's been conditioned to believe he has a right to be there and I think it would destroy him if that assumption were torn asunder. Andersen gained strength from being ejected from the GPs, I doubt the global superstar would do likewise. But I suspect it's about time we found out.

Wasn't there a campaign started to have a Welsh component added to the Union flag?

But everyone seemed to think British speedway was being done a favour. John Postlethwaite could barely wait to get himself onto Sky Sports during the Elite League final to tell a grateful British public that he was awarding the global superstar and some other duffer free places in the GPs after another season of failure. And then everyone rushed on here to say how just and right it was that the global superstar was going to get another go. He's had over sixty GPs now and still hasn't won one. But, come the end of the GP series, if he's out of the top eight I guarantee you that this forum will be full of people saying he deserves to be in the GPs. It isn't doing the sport a favour. It just means that British riders don't have to achieve, so they don't. Look at Hans Andersen. Kicked out of the GPs but came back stronger.

Lawson has a broken collarbone.

He's had it all too easy.

It all comes back to the entitlement culture. Every year when I've said that the global superstar doesn't deserve to be in the GPs if he doesn't qualify on merit, everyone here is up in arms and declaring that as Britain's No 1 he has a right to be in them. And that Britain has a right to have two riders in the GP circus.

An unfortunate turn of phrase.

Young pugwash is right on this one, the Coventry fans see the global superstar as "captain fantastic", but it's only a role he's capable of filling when things are going well.

Nevermind the Joker, there were 24 heats in hand the only time Britain was two points behind the Danes.

Very poor scheduling from the FIM, it has to be said. Shocking in fact.

It appears that the good news for Great Britain is that Russia will be minus Emil Sajfutdinov for the race-off on Thursday, which is bad news for everyone else who wants to watch this rare and precious talent: http://www.sportowefakty.pl/zuzel/2008/07/...z-saifutdinowa/

What's the night life like in Vojens? If Lynch has any sense he'll slap a "nightlife" ban on the riders ahead of the race-off, otherwise they'll be out on the pop while the Swedes and Poles are working night and day on their equipment.

SWC EVENT II: Coventry - 14-07-08 Great Britain..25.5 1..S Nicholls..1,0,0,2,1 = 4 2..C Harris..2,1,1,3,1.5,0 = 8.5 3..L Richardson..2,1,0,2,1 = 6 4..S Stead..0,1,1,0 = 2 5..O Allen..2,0,1,2,0 = 5 Sweden..50.5 1..F Lindgren..2,3,2,1.5,3 = 11.5 2..P Ljung..1,2,1,1,2 = 7 3..A Jonsson..1,2,3,1,2 = 9 4..J Davidsson..3,6,3,1,3 = 16 5..D Nermark..1,2,3,1,0 = 7 Czech Republic..13 1..M Kus..0,0,1 = 1 2..A Dryml..0,0,0,0 = 0 3..A Rymel..0,1,3,0,0,2 = 6 4..F Sitera..1,1,0,0,0,0 = 2 5..L Tomicek..0,2,1,0,1,1 = 5 Denmark..63 1..N Pedersen..3,3,2,3,3 = 14 2..N-K Iversen..3,2,2,3,2 = 12 3..K Bjerre..3,3,3,2,3 = 14 4..H Andersen..2,0,2,3,3 = 10 5..B Pedersen..3,3,2,3,2 = 13 Ht 1..N Pedersen, Lindgren, Nicholls, Kus 1-2-0-3 (1-2-0-3) Ht 2..Iversen, Harris, Ljung, Dryml 2-1-0-3 (3-3-0-6) Ht 3..Bjerre, Richardson, Jonsson, Rymel 2-1-0-3 (5-4-0-9) Ht 4..Davidsson, Andersen, Sitera, Stead 0-3-1-2 (5-7-1-11) Ht 5..B Pedersen, Allen, Nermark, Tomicek 2-1-0-3 (7-8-1-14) Ht 6..Bjerre, Nermark, Sitera, Nicholls [J] 0-2-1-3 (7-10-2-17) Ht 7..Lindgren, Tomicek, Harris, Andersen 1-3-2-0 (8-13-4-17) Ht 8..B Pedersen, Ljung, Richardson, Kus 1-2-0-3 (9-15-4-20) Ht 9..N Pedersen, Jonsson, Stead, Dryml 1-2-0-3 (10-17-4-23) Ht 10..Davidsson [J], Iversen, Rymel, Allen 0-6-1-2 (10-23-5-25) Ht 11..Rymel, Andersen, Ljung, Nicholls [Ex] 0-1-3-2 (10-24-8-27) Ht 12..Jonsson, B Pedersen, Harris, Sitera 1-3-0-2 (11-27-8-29) Ht 13..Davidsson, N Pedersen, Tomicek, Richardson 0-3-1-2 (11-30-9-31) Ht 14..Nermark, Iversen, Stead, [J] Rymel [Ex] 1-3-0-2 (12-33-9-33) Ht 15..Bjerre, Lindgren, Allen, Dryml 1-2-0-3 (13-35-9-36) Ht 16..Iversen, Nicholls, Jonsson, Tomicek 2-1-0-3 (15-36-9-39) Ht 17..Harris, Bjerre, Davidsson, Sitera 3-1-0-2 (18-37-9-41) Ht 18..Andersen, Richardson, Nermark, Dryml 2-1-0-3 (20-38-9-44) Ht 19..B Pedersen, Lindgren-Harris [DH], Rymel 1.5-1.5-0-3 (21.5-39.5-9-47) Ht 20..N Pedersen, Allen, Ljung, Sitera 2-1-0-3 (23.5-40.5-9-50) Ht 21..Davidsson, B Pedersen, Nicholls, Tomicek 1-3-0-2 (24.5-43.5-9-52) Ht 22..N Pedersen, Rymel, Harris [E/F], Nermark [Ex] 0-0-2-3 (24.5-43.5-11-55) Ht 23..Lindgren, Iversen, Richardson, Sitera 1-3-0-2 (25.5-46.5-11-57) Ht 24..Bjerre, Ljung, Sitera, Stead 0-2-1-3 (25.5-48.5-12-60) Ht 25..Andersen, Jonsson, Kus, Allen 0-2-1-3 (25.5-50.5-13-63) Notes: 1..Ht 1 and we've a re-run with all 4 after an unsatisfactory start. 2..Ht 2 and we've a re-run with all 4 after an unsatisfactory start. 3..Ht 6 and Nicholls takes a Joker ride in a tactical move by Great Britain. 4..Ht 7 and we've a re-run with all 4 after an unsatisfactory start. 5..Ht 10 and Davidsson takes a Joker ride in a tactical move by Sweden. 6..Ht 11 and we've a re-run without Great Britain's Nicholls who gets into mischief and is excluded. 7..Ht 14 and Rymel replaces Kus as a "Joker" in a tactical move by the Czech Republic. 7..Ht 14 and we've a re-run with all 4 after an unsatisfactory start. 8..Ht 14 and we've a re-run without the Czech Republic's Rymel who gets into mischief and is excluded. 9..Ht 17 and Sitera replaces Kus in a tactical move by the Czech Republic. 10..Ht 19 and Harris replaces Stead in a tactical move by Great Britain. 11..Ht 21 and Tomicek replaces Dryml in a tactical move by the Czech Republic. 12..Ht 22 and we've a re-run without Sweden's Nermark who gets into mischief and is excluded.

Okay, tell me the last time the global superstar produced the goods on a Joker rider in the SWC? Last year in the final he got a third place and in the final at Wroclaw a couple his engine failed just after the start. It isn't a great record. Typical of his rather dreadful record when the pressure is on.

No, just old.