Hindsight

[schumi]

After their defeat at the hands of Wolverhampton on Monday, Jon Cook has said this on the Lakeside website:

"With the benefit of hindsight, letting the heart rule the head when it came to team changes in August was perhaps the wrong decision, but there is no point in bleating on about it now."

Reading between the lines that seems to suggest they might have kept Swiderski instead of Adam Shields when he was ready to come back after injury.

Stuart Douglas has praised Wolverhampton, and said: "Whilst I felt we didn't do ourselves justice, one or two riders excepted, it's important to acknowledge we were beaten by an extremely strong Wolves team."

I think that's a very fair assessment. I admit to being disappointed at the outcome of the play-offs, but the result was expected. Yes, the majority of the team didn't ride to their full ability, and of course that is frustrating for any fan, especially those who paid to see the meeting. However, Lakeside did end the season in the play-offs, and it wasn't just a couple of riders who got them there, it was the whole team.

The positives, as I see them, do outweigh the negatives. The three year plan has been a success, the Hammers have finished in the top three for the last two years running, they are still in with a chance of the KO cup, and two key riders, Stuart Robson and Jonas Davidsson are assets.

Pretty sure the winter will bring about a few changes, and hopefully next season the team will be even stronger.

[Deleted]

Sept 30, 2009 10:54:10 GMT @schumi said:

Reading between the lines that seems to suggest they might have kept Swiderski instead of Adam Shields when he was ready to come back after injury.

Thats open to interpretation though Schumi, Jon Cook could have been talking about Joonas Kylmakorpi and Kauko Nieminen, who's to say. None of those three covered themselves in glory over the two legs..

[schumi]

Absolutely, MD, and I expect one of the proposals would have beens to try and retain both Adam and Piotr, with a reshuffle elsewhere. But I think Adam and Jonas were the only riders they could have made a straight swap for? Even if that had been the case, it might not have worked - the team could have done better, could have done worse. No-one will ever know.

I know Adam's come in for a bit of stick on the Hammers' forum, and you're right to point that out to me. He was the mainstay last year, and fully deserved his place on the team this year, but I think even Adam himself would admit he didn't come fully back to that form after his injury. Others have said he looked deflated in the pits on Monday, but to me that only illustrates his commitment to the Hammers. I hope he's not too disappointed, along with all the other lads.

My point is, it's easy for us on the outside to highlight individual's performances, but at the end of the day, they are all a team - and as a team, they've had a pretty successful year. And no point dwelling on ifs, buts and maybes.

[Genghis]

Sept 30, 2009 11:30:44 GMT @md said:

Thats open to interpretation though Schumi, Jon Cook could have been talking about Joonas Kylmakorpi and Kauko Nieminen, who's to say. None of those three covered themselves in glory over the two legs..

I would have thought he does mean Kylmakorpi & Nieminen, rather than Shields.

[Deleted]

Sept 30, 2009 12:14:15 GMT Genghis said:

Sept 30, 2009 11:30:44 GMT @md said:

Thats open to interpretation though Schumi, Jon Cook could have been talking about Joonas Kylmakorpi and Kauko Nieminen, who's to say. None of those three covered themselves in glory over the two legs..

I would have thought he does mean Kylmakorpi & Nieminen, rather than Shields.

He could mean any of four riders in my opinion, I think its kick up the backside time down by the side of the lake for a few people.

Make no mistake, Jon Cook will motivate his side for the Cup final in a few weeks, the same riders but expect a different team to show up on the 9th...

[Deleted]

Sept 30, 2009 13:23:03 GMT @md said:

Sept 30, 2009 12:14:15 GMT Genghis said:

I would have thought he does mean Kylmakorpi & Nieminen, rather than Shields.

I think its kick up the backside time down by the side of the lake for a few people.

It's not only the riders that need a kick up the backside, what ever happened to the LRC ?

[Deleted]

Thought it was an odd decision to bring in Aron Summer who apart from gating well was well off the pace in all the semi final rides that I recall him taking part in.. Surely Cook could have brought in a Stonger reserve than that!

[Deleted]

Well as a biased neutral , I'm surprised that JC didn't get rid of JK or KN and keep Piotr, and this was born out in the first semi definitely.

Can see him coming to the Lake next season in one of their places, oh and Adam is very welcome to be a full time Witch next year if he is fed up with the M25

[schumi]

I read on the Hammers' forum that Jon Cook had wished Kauko and Jonas well for the GP qualifiers in his programme notes, but said that if either of them won there would be no place in the team for them next year. Is that true?

If so, it seems to suggest Lakeside will be going for another balanced team next year, with no "big" names. Could be an exit for Rico if he gets a nomination?

[Deleted]

Oct 3, 2009 8:09:56 GMT @schumi said:

Could be an exit for Rico if he gets a nomination?

He won't. Britain is already going to receive an unjust two, no way will they get three.

[Deleted]

Sept 30, 2009 13:43:16 GMT @hatcham said:

what ever happened to the LRC ?

I think they have run out of available dates at the venue to commit to an event that would need a lot of planning and promotion to do the Championship justice.

With the last available date at the track, the 16th of this month, they still have to fit in the KOC final and up until last Monday had to keep a date open for a playoff final.