Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 19, 2008 17:54:07 GMT
Interesting rider, Piotrek. Was awesome for us in 2005 and I was sure he was going to go on to great things. But it hasn't really taken off.
|
|
|
Post by stuartroad on Jan 19, 2008 18:03:36 GMT
Interesting rider, Piotrek. Was awesome for us in 2005 and I was sure he was going to go on to great things. But it hasn't really taken off. to be fair to the lad,he strikes me as a decent rider,unlikely to make an impact on the gp series maybe,but well worth an elite league place,even with a more sensible points limit.
|
|
|
Post by Wolfie on Jan 19, 2008 19:31:24 GMT
I agree with you Stuartroad, he's a very handy rider to have in your side and i can see his average only going upwards. Having Hampel alongside him in the pits and Miskowiak too will also help no end as i'm not sure many of the Danes spoke any Polish at Peterborough!!
Good looking line up for me with a real solid look about it. You can see every rider there chipping in with decent points and they will all tot up to match winning points more often than not. A 5 pointer at reserve all year is a massive advantage in this league and thats what Ippo will have.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 20, 2008 19:53:44 GMT
So there you go - we have our team, and I have to say that having had the chance to speak with Chris on the subject last night, I'm feeling quietly confident for the season ahead. We may not lift any silverware at the end of it all - only time will tell on that front - but I don't see us getting any real wallopings considering what's been announced from elsewhere so far.
Delighted to see Chris continuing in his role as Skipper. For me it will be a very strange day when he retires - I've only watched one season of speedway prior to him coming onto the scene in 1988, and an Ippo team without Chris in it now is a strange beast indeed. Pleased also with the return of Jarek. I suspect he's more aware than anyone that he blotted his copybook with many in 2003 - however time has passed and he's older and wiser now - as well of course as wanting to grab his GP place back, he has a point to prove and hopefully we'll be the winners while he tries to prove it. I said at the start of the winter that I felt Robert would benefit from a year out on loan - I still stand by that but am nonetheless pleased to see him back. He needs to ride from the start of the season as he has a habit of finishing off though, for me. I'd be the first to admit I was less than impressed when I heard about Johnno signing. No offence to the guy - he's a lovely chap who you simply can't help but warm to, but I didn't think he was the right rider for us. Now the team is all in place though I can see exactly where JL's thinking lay, and can see the sense behind the signing. Swiderski I know little about - but he seems the sort who will give his all and try his hardest - impossible to argue with that. nice to see Schrammy back in the team proper this time - a hugely likeable lad who was thrilled with his chance at the no 8 spot last season - I can only imagine how pleased he must have been when he got the call from John this winter! Apparntly he's already lined himself up a new sponsor too which is excellent news for him. Finally, but far from the least important member of the side is going to be young Tobi. He tells me that he's already working hard on his preparations for the 2008 season, and that he can't wait for it to start! Having him starting at reserve will be ahuge bonus for us - and I can see some real competition among the "bottom four" this year for those two reserve spots.
All in all - I'm fairly happy! ;D
|
|
|
Post by cardinalsin on Jan 21, 2008 5:02:21 GMT
I can't agree that Miskowiak needed a year away on loan, he put a point on his average last season and thats progress in anyones book. Riders do tend to have spells in a season when they are particularly good or bad. Robert tends to have a strong finish, Louis tends to have a crap start!! Miskowiak is or has been the 1 rider at Foxhall when you look down at your programme in recent seasons and feel confident about a good result in the next race because he is in it. He's consistently been the only one that seems capable of beating the visiting number 1 at Foxhall since Loram has been missing. Thankfully the promotion knows his worth to the side by getting him signed up first and before last season had even ended. Inconsistent yes, but not everyone can produce the goods on a regular basis otherwise every rider would be on 9+ averages!!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2008 20:53:17 GMT
You misunderstand my point I think Cardinalsin. It's not anything to do with Robert's form that makes me feel a season away would benefit him - it's more down to confidence. He's a rider who, when firmly in his comfort zone, can indeed throw in some very good scores, however, when he gets TOO comfortable, those scores tend to drop. Regular nudges away from the comfort zone tend to get the best results out of him, but that's not always possible to engineer. Sometimes something as simple as changing his race partner can achieve it, at other times it's not possible to achieve at all and those are the meetings when he tends to score worse, in a lot of cases purely because he's "over-comfortable" and his concentration has waned slightly. In the long term he's going to need a year on loan somewhere I think - if just to get him into the mindset of not everywhere being as comfortable for him as the Foxhall pits. The ealier in his career that is, the better it might be for him.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2008 21:55:03 GMT
Taken from today's EADT:
IPSWICH Evening Star Witches' speedway promoter John Louis today refuted claims that this is going to be his last season in charge at Foxhall Stadium.
The 66-year-old former Ipswich rider is now in his 20th year as Witches promoter having first taken over the reins at Foxhall Stadium in 1989.
“There is no time limit on when I will hand over the club,” said Louis, whose son Chris, 38, is being groomed to take control.
“We will have to see, but at the moment I am planning to keep going.
“As time goes by we will see what will happen. There are lots of days when I feel like packing it in, but there have been more good times than bad.
“It could be two months time, or ten years - who knows what the future will bring? But as things stand at the moment I have no plans to stand down.”
Thoughts of Louis handing over control have been reinforced with confirmation earlier this month that Ipswich Town FC life president and director of the plc company since 1994 Richard Moore has joined the Witches board.
“It is good news that Richard has come onboard as he has a great deal of experience in commerce and sport,” said Louis.
“I am sure he will have a big input, and help improve our fortunes in the years ahead.”
Chris Louis has hinted that his father might be going into his final year in charge.
The Witches skipper and rider/manager said: “It's perceived at the moment that this could be dad's last year.
“In the relatively near future Richard Moore could well gain a bigger stake in the club.
“We've got a year to work through, and then it will probably be another winter of re-organisation at the club.
“Elite League clubs have to be run differently these days.
“Dad can see that and this is part of his reasoning behind getting tired a little bit tired with how it works.
“When he took over Ipswich, you could run the cub on gate receipts, if no other money came into the club, it could survive.
“But now you rely completely on lots of commercial funding coming from other avenues. The pressure is far greater now.”
And talking about the 2009 season, Louis junior said: “I will make my mind up on whether I shall carry on riding next October.
“It's a family business and I don't see why, if I'm enjoying riding and doing a reasonable job, that I can't do both.
“To be a fellow rider's team mate and also his promoter is not an ideal situation and there would be technicalities to overcome in terms of promoter's licence and rider's licence, which might get in the way.”
The Witches were looking at Australian King's Lynn Trevor Harding to be their number eight, but after his recent injury they are now looking elsewhere to complete their squad.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2008 22:05:22 GMT
Isn't a fair amount of that taken straight from the interview with Chris in last week's speedway star? Even for Elvin King that's a bit of a cheeky move!
|
|
|
Post by cardinalsin on Jan 29, 2008 23:04:53 GMT
Isn't a fair amount of that taken straight from the interview with Chris in last week's speedway star? Even for Elvin King that's a bit of a cheeky move! Yes witch its word for word what appeared in the speedway star interview last week that wasn't conducted by dear old Elvin Again rather conflicting thoughts from both John and Chris there! The same happened during team building, one came out saying the team was almost complete and the next day the other came out and said it wasn't!!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2008 20:40:52 GMT
Unfortunately though what appears in the Evening Star frequently isn't anything that either Chris OR John have said!! Chris doesn't have any more idea than anyone else whether JL will stay on longer than the one year - John is now basically saying the same as Chris has been said about continuing riding - that he'll make up his mind as he goes along, and personally I rather think that Chris is being played at his own game!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2008 14:54:51 GMT
Ipswich have at last named their No 8, it is Robbie Kessler.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2008 20:13:09 GMT
Hadn't seen that one coming I have to say. Well, when he's good he's very good, when he's having an off day though he can make Brendan look half decent!! ;D
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2008 20:30:21 GMT
Hadn't seen that one coming I have to say. Well, when he's good he's very good, when he's having an off day though he can make Brendan look half decent!! ;D Good God
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 12, 2008 19:58:37 GMT
Well Mike Bacon, the better of the 2 journalists who work for our sponsors Evening Star, did an article in the paper last week, and I have only just managed to get hold of a copy, but this is what he has to say about the Witches lineup 2008:
Jarek Hampel: A rider who only lost his GP place this season after injury blighted his 2007 year. A totally different animal to the one Witches' fans last remember, Jarek has all the ability. However, it's consistency away from home that will be the key as far as he is concerned.
Johnno: Now here is value for money guaranteed. Johnno knows how to entertain and will give his all for the Witches. If he can repeat what he did at Coventry last season...then fantastic.
Piotr Swiderski: Peterboro were hugely disappointed they could not fit him into the Alwalton line-up for 2008. That says much of his talents. He could prove a shrewd signing.
Tobi Kroner: Rider of the season in 2007, more of the same progress this year and he could personally and the Witches as a team, could have a bit to shout about.
Chris Louis: Dependable at home, Louis' form on the road seriously needs to improve if Ipswich are to challenge away. However, always superb value in front of the fans at Foxhall.
Chris Schramm: Don't underestimate Schramm. He is hugely determined and has a neat style of racing. Belief is the key to what he can achieve this term.
Robert Miskowiak: No excuses, this man must end the season with an 8 point average if the Witches are serious about the play-offs. He has seen what has happened to Kim Jansson this season. Hugely likeable, but needs to up his game.
Fair assessment I feel, probably what most Ippo fans feel too.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 12, 2008 20:25:21 GMT
Yes. I'd agree with most of that I think Badge. Including your comment at the top regarding Mike being the better of the two journos!!!
|
|