IainB

I don't think Harris covered himself in glory the last time he rode at this level, no doubt there's 40 pages of hate on this thread:

That's exactly my point but in Neil's original post he suggested that his thinking would be different because it was a TV meeting

Because Speedway in Poland is all about the team, when "the team" isn't involved you get crowds like you do in this country. it's why their league Speedway works, no made up the day before teams, full of guests, R/R's and double uppers. It's what the BSPL just don't seem to understand

It's not just about face fitting though it's about making yourself available for selection to ride for your country. Scott Nicholls was approached apparently but declined to carry out Tv duties... though was strangely absent tonight. I assume that the journeymen Brits have been offered GB team spots in the past to broaden their international experience but have also declined

Bar the top 3 all of the others are of a very similar standard. You look at who rides for GB in these European team meetings held throughout the season and its always Brennan, Ellis, Harris, Kemp and some of the other young kids, so I'm guessing and it is only a guess based on what Allen has said that the likes of Wright, Lawson, Worrall et al decline to ride in these meetings and rightly or wrongly or very much counts against them for selection for the big meetings

+ practice

There's some real OTT reaction on here tonight for a meeting we won! People seem to have got it into their head that Woffinden gave Brennan his ride with absolutely no evidence to support this (that I'm aware of). The manager(s) surely made this decision. Yes argue the toss over team selection, personally I wouldn't have selected Ellis but listening to Allen on a podcast the other day not all riders show as much willingness to ride for their country as some but I believe Adam Ellis must/does.

As big a fan as I am of Harris he just doesn't have the equipment/setup for such tracks as has been shown many many times in the past. Got to be Brennan at 4 for me with A.N.Other at 5

The people doing the graphic captions do realise it's a team event don't they?

I wouldn't imagine the TV companies care what the racing is like it's just about filing airtime for them, what they'd probably be more concerned about is the lack of a crowd as they are also the promoters, otherwise its just about viewing figures

Even on Sky Q?

I suggested this years ago... some Football clubs operate like this also

I don't want anybody to spend any money unnecessarily... but it's exactly this kind of thinking that has helped to get the sport into state it's in, you know when you go to a TV meeting that the whole thing revolves around them with zero thought for the paying fan, which is why the crowds have been mostly embarrassing when the TV trucks are in town. Like I've said, on this occasion I don't doubt that the damage had been done to the track after days of heavy rain, it was just the comments from a former "promoter" that confirmed what many of us had already thought for years

Just like Leicester last year while we were waiting for Poole to run their benefit meetings

And people wonder why fans have dwindled away... what about the contract with the fans?

Undoubtedly the correct decision... there should not be special treatment for TV matches though

It's just a shame Tai can't attack his opponents from behind on the track in such an effective manner anymore

Why especially for a TV meeting? Surely the same criteria should apply whether it's on TV or not

As self employed contractors, unless there's something written into the riders contract, they can go on holiday whenever they like. Of course if they do they may be due sanctions from the BSPL/SCB but as it is the latter that is insisting this fixture goes ahead it's hard to blame the riders for this one.

Potato potato You say Chateau I say Shateau Tomato tomato Let's call this match off

Haven’t Rob Lyon & Ritchie Hawkins been absent recently because of being on holiday... when that's the example riders are being set it's no wonder they follow suit

Shateau La Briance?

Perhaps he's having a week away in Bournemouth? It's a good job Worrall wasn't selected for the world cup if he'd booked his hols

There's other rules though that shouldn't be down to interpretation, leaving the track after a restart is called, practice starts without helmets, lanyards not being worn while the engine is running, if you're not going to enforce them, why have them? It only makes it seem unfair when a referee all of a sudden decides to enforce them