Henning Loof - time for sense to prevail?

[Deleted]

genghis said:

Bryn, of course it can't be done overnight - but the minimum number of Brits in each team should be increased on a season-by-season basis until it stands as five in the Premier League and three in the Elite League.

Whilst such a Utopian system might sound all well and good expressed on a forum Genghis, do you really think that your suggestion is practical? Ye gods promoters get moaned at enough now about the teams they put together being too weak and, remember they stand or fall on the basis of trying to put together exciting action to encourage crowds to come along each week.

Ideally yes it sounds great, in reality it hasn't got a hope in hell!

[Deleted]

I agree with Genghis on this one. I concede that at present there are not enough Brits to fill all the places in the PL, and certainly not the EL, that either Genghis (or his supporters) would like. There never will be unless we give young Brits an incentive and that means a realistic prospect of a career in speedway where they can progress and not be abandoned to allow a foreigner in whose average just happens to fit. It has to be a gradual thing with an extra place being exclusively British every year until we get to the point where the PL is predominately British and the EL just about 50% British. Then we may just stand a chance of the WTC as well
No offence to Henning Loof who I'm sure is a fine young man with exactly the same ambitions as many other young men who love speedway, but on this issue I'm being patriotic. Are you watching BJB ;D
Oh yeah and wibblemuis, the law can be an ass, and the BSPA have proved in the past if they want to implement something they will find a way

[Genghis]

bryn said:

genghis said:

Bryn, of course it can't be done overnight - but the minimum number of Brits in each team should be increased on a season-by-season basis until it stands as five in the Premier League and three in the Elite League.

Whilst such a Utopian system might sound all well and good expressed on a forum Genghis, do you really think that your suggestion is practical? Ye gods promoters get moaned at enough now about the teams they put together being too weak and, remember they stand or fall on the basis of trying to put together exciting action to encourage crowds to come along each week.

Ideally yes it sounds great, in reality it hasn't got a hope in hell!

Well Bryn, if nothing is done soon, then in ten years time, there won't be a British speedway to support.

You know better than I do the lack of riders wanting to compete in second halves, etc.

Why? Because whereas once upon a time a promising rider could find himself in the National League quite quickly, nowadays he's passed over for a foreigner. No wonder young Brits get so frustrated and decide it's a mug's game.

Let's face it, we need more riders based in this country riding in the Elite League and Premier League, to keep costs down, because at the moment, at most tracks outcome exceeds income and that is not sustainable. Economics dictates that for British Speedway to survive we need more British riders.

[Deleted]

starlady said:

Oh yeah and wibblemuis, the law can be an ass

No, the law is sensible. It allows you or I to go and live and work in 30 countries as we please, without silly and petty restrictions.

Sport is just another industry whether we like it or not, and is not above the law that applies to everyone else. It does admittedly have certain unique conditions that makes it desirable to have a certain amount of home-grown talent in teams, but in the case of British speedway, it's priority must be to stay in business.

This means less of a reliance on signing foreign-based riders, and supporting anyone who comes to these shores and demonstrates a commitment to our competitions. Being patriotic is all very well, but it'll all be very hollow if there are no longer any speedway tracks in this country to attend.

As Sub says, the whole concept of a "Gentlemens' Agreement" to restrict foreign riders is a non-starter. As soon as one promoter desperately needs to sign a replacement rider, it'll all go out the window and the repercussions could be fatal for the sport. Doing it in the part-time environment of Germany is one thing, but in Britain is quite another.

I completely agree that British tracks must reduce their dependence on foreign-based riders, but that is a slightly different thing from insisting on only British riders. Certainly the BCL should be predominantly British, but if the odd Commonwealth and foreign rider wishes to ride and there are team places unfilled (and I note how many BCL teams use R/R), then I really don't think we should be bureaucratic about it. This said, they should of course have to ride on an ACU licence and make an undertaking that all British fixtures take priority.

[Genghis]

Wibblemuis - maybe it should made part of the contract that all riders competing in a British league should put British domestic meetings first with the exception of the World Championship and the World Cup.

I don't see why we should play fourth fiddle to Poland, Sweden and Russia. Either the riders commit to British speedway or they don't ride over here. As simple as that.

And that all riders competing in the Premier League and the Conference League should have their homes in Britain between March 15 and October 31.

I would concede that riders who made the above commitments should be allowed to ride in the Premier League, although averages should still be used in such a way that British riders are favoured.

But the Conference League should definitely be British riders only.

[Deleted]

genghis said:

maybe it should made part of the contract that all riders competing in a British league should put British domestic meetings first with the exception of the World Championship and the World Cup.

I'd go further and not use SGP riders, and certainly not those that commit to riding in mickey mouse championships like the Europeans.

genghis said:

Either the riders commit to British speedway or they don't ride over here.

Completely agree, as you know.

[Deleted]

This has been an interesting debate that goes to the heart of the sport in this country. Now I'm a Brit and proud of it and as such I'd love to see our boys coming through and doing better. BUT - like it or not - artifical restrictions on EU rider numbers can't be applied because of the law. (I guess its different with non-EU riders.) So, given that this is a great subject for discussion, I just can't see it being relevant to Henning's situation.

To me the bigger concern is that there should be consistency around how the averages of riders such as Henning are assessed. The rules should be clearly defined for each season and applied to the letter of the rule. Given that this clarity doesn't seem to exist, we are then left with just precedent to go on. In which case it seems reasonable to conclude that Henning has been treated very unfairly.

So on this basis I am happy to hold my hand up and say that I strongly support his case.

Good luck Henning - I hope you get a ride sorted!

[schumi]

Thing is, genghis, that although Henning is not legally British, he's certainly showed that his commitment to us is there. He lives in the country, he hasn't ridden Elite League, and I'd say that means he has a better case than Magosi for reassessment. Like you say, the rules should be applied consistently, but they're not, and I think the fact that Henning has, and would, give 100% to British racing, and the trouble he's gone to to put forward his case, counts for a lot more. But that's just my opinion.

[Deleted]

genghis said:

Wibblemuis - maybe it should made part of the contract that all riders competing in a British league should put British domestic meetings first with the exception of the World Championship and the World Cup.

I don't see why we should play fourth fiddle to Poland, Sweden and Russia. Either the riders commit to British speedway or they don't ride over here. As simple as that.

You do have a point Genghis, I must admit I was a bit shocked to read in the speedway star this week that one of the young Swedes riding EL this season (it was either Gustafsson or Fosberg) stating that although there were riding EL, Sweden was still their priority!

Whilst these may be bright and up & coming stars of the future who add a bit of spice & excitement to the EL, if the UK isn't a priority for them now, what regard will they give our leagues when or if they do start to make names for themselves internationally.

[schumi]

Just highlighting this again.

www.ipetitions.com/petition/henningloof/index.html

Getting a few signatures on there now, and if number 25 is real, even better.

[Deleted]

Well I've signed it, I hope it helps you Henning....Is that really Colin Pratt who signed it too?

[Deleted]

I signed it but the donation page came up so I thought I had to donate before my name appeared. I tried again but the page still came up. When I checked the signatures it turns out I've signed it twice oops

At least I'm not the only stupid one, it looks as though a few have made the mistake

[Deleted]

Waite (and many othe promoters) moan there is not enough riders to go around, yet Loof still stays on an unfair average....

[Deleted]

Bugger cocked up and clicked the anon button, can't change it now either.

No 57 is me....

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71 signatures now, give or take a few duplicates! ;D