Jaytee
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As I see it now - 30.06.09I’d like to thank Bob for a good 10 years entertainment since I resurrected my love of speedway but what follows is how I see it now. Bob has spoken about what a good management team the Eagles have – have I missed something? – tell us why Trevor Geer is so good.
Now I come to the riders:
1. Dave Watt – Mediocre. There are usually one or two good rides a meeting but rarely throughout a meeting.
2. Lewis Bridger – Very good season – 110% is great but 100% will do  .
3. Lukas Dryml – Very good season.
4. Cameron Woodward – Mediocre – in a comfort zone – one great race does not make a season.
5. David Norris – Improving when the season ending injury came along – as usual no sign of a replacement for a rider with a lengthy injury.
6. Simon Gustafsson – Great season until recent matches.
7. Ricky Kling – Good season but, for me, has only come up with the goods when Simon was injured.
From this I would say that Watt and Woodward have been the most disappointing. If they had contributed as much as I feel they should have the I think we'd be a lot higher in the league.
I can see why Bob’s had enough but it works both ways – the ineffective management and the attitude of certain riders is no way to get the crowds in. This is a team that, on paper, should be in the top 4 as far as I am concerned – I had a good bet at the start of the season thinking the bookies had got the Eagles odds completely wrong – as usual, they hadn’t.
There seems to me to be 3 options for the rest of the season:
1. Pull the plug.
2. Plough on with ever dwindling crowds.
3. Change the team and get in 1 or 2 crowd pleasers (Nicki anyone?) for a decent swansong. I’m sure this could be done if we manipulate the rules like everyone else. If Trevor can’t work it out perhaps Jon Cook could help.
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sussexbulldog
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What an excellent post. I agree with everything you say.
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MD
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If Floppy is out for the season then a replacement is needed and pretty fast I think.
Bringing in a rider can become a huge boost to the team in terms of results and morale and lets face it, Eastbourne are not a bad side but they do appear at a low eb at the moment.
Piotr Swiderski has just been released from Ipswich and a guy I have been keeping tabs on in both Poland and Sweden is a young Danish lad called Leon Madsen who has just switched from JRM to GM engines and is flying in both leagues. Madsen wont fill floppys shoes home or away so may not be the answer depending on how many points is left to build with.
But I do think they should be pro active and start to look for a rider if they already have not that is.
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mmmmethanol
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A couple of weeks ago, when the management commented on Floppy, it was said that a couple of riders were being looked at.
Swiderski was great last season & maybe he just needs a fresh start to come good again.
I remember him going well down here 2 seasons ago 'till Mr Bridger nearly put him through the fence....and before you ask, he admitted so 
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MrB
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TBH we've missed the boat as usual, Lewis' average now goes up 2-3 points and we've lost that amount to use on another rider. It was reported in the Argus that they will probably make a signing after Simon's average goes up and Cam moves to reserve, by which time it will be too late  I think the last few performances have reflected that too!
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ComeOnYouSpurs
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If we act now we still have a chance....
Ok, so Lewis's average may have gone up by about 2.5 points, but Watt and Woodward have been so bad that their averages have fallen by more or less the same amount.
This means (I think...and in very rough terms) that if we are just going to bring in a replacement for Floppy we'd have about 7.25 points to play with up to the new 42 point limit.
With Batchelor seemingly snapped up by Ipswich, Swiderski seems an obvious candidate and with a current average of something like 5.75 would leave us with an extra 1.5 points floating around should we wish to show the door to one of the under performing Aussies..... which in my opinion we should.
Come on Bob..... it aint like you to go out with a whimper..... how about making one last effort and saying goodbye with a real bang!
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ray
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correct about the two ippo changes COUS .seems there is only one non-pro-active team in the elite --- us !! 
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MD
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Current green sheets (not inc Floppy who is still on 5.91)
1. Lewis Bridger..............7.63
2. Davey Watt.................6.73
3. Lukas Dryml.................5.60
4. Cameron Woodward...5.10
5. Ricky Kling...................4.77
6. Simon Gustafsson.......4.28
Total 34.11 leaves 7.89
So they do have time to make a change
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ComeOnYouSpurs
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I guess that what the next few days will tell us is how genuine Trevor Geer was being when he told The Argus that we still have a chance to reach the play-offs..... or was it just "paper talk".
One or two decent signings = We're gonna give it a real go
But.....
The usual inactivity = We've pretty much thrown the towel in.
Which will it be???
If I was a betting man........
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ray
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on this basis how many will attend on saturday , if the match is on ?!! still no news on this at all ---- NUTHIN' 
after dealing with a "shower" a towel is necessary , a right shower, figures it will be thrown in .after all these tears are we going out with a whimper  
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MD
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Well you can rule out Swiderski, he was involved in a crash in Poland last night and has dislocated his ankle so will be out for a while with an injury of that kind, shame for the lad, its been a nightmare season for him
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sussexbulldog
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It looks like it might be Slovakian Martin Vaculik.
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ComeOnYouSpurs
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| sussex bulldog wrote: | | It looks like it might be Slovakian Martin Vaculik. |
He might well be one for the future... something that the Eagles might not have... but do we really think he'll be the one to give us that push into this seasons play-offs?
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sussexbulldog
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Perhaps he is cheap 
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MrB
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Out of all the names mentioned in the argus today (haven't we been here before!) the only one I'd be happy with is Max.
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sussexbulldog
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Dave A says he knows who it is but can't say
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ComeOnYouSpurs
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| sussex bulldog wrote: | | Dave A says he knows who it is but can't say |
Fair enough.... but could he tell us WHEN whoever it is will be arriving?
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emjay
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Maybe its the Russian.
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parker
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| ComeOnYouSpurs wrote: | | sussex bulldog wrote: | | Dave A says he knows who it is but can't say |
Fair enough.... but could he tell us WHEN whoever it is will be arriving? |
He told us the Russian was coming beginning of last season and hes still not arrived yet so I wouldnt hold my breathe if I was you Kevin
I dont know why they didnt put Jason Crump top of their list makes good press,but its ok having a list the question is are there funds and is there a will to go and try a get these riders, Bob admits he hasnt the time and has Trevor got the get up and go enough to sell the club to these "listed" riders even if we could afford them. Its all deja vu to me.
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ComeOnYouSpurs
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Im afraid that you could be right parker.....
But Bob has said we can't continue with R/R......
Trevor has said we can still make the play-offs......
It's time for them to back up their words with some action!
I can't see anything happening in time for Saturday's match at Arlington or Monday at Wolves..... but after that there is the break for the World Cup and I would hope/expect something to happen in time for our meeting at Belle Vue on 20th July.
There wont be too much holding of breath going on though!!!
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ray
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can hear you gasping , COUS .
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emjay
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Unless some sort of miracle happens, the eagles' season will be pretty much over by the end of July. Can't see too many people wanting to join then.
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parker
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I think the management have adopted Baldricks "I have a cunning plan"  With no guarantee of a Premier League place being granted on application next season, we are going to out manoeuvre the likes of Poole Belle Vue, both who have shown interest in dropping down. We have this cunning plan and are going to do it by...wait for it............Relegation!!
How else can you account for 5 successive defeats ,3 at the once fortress Arlington,the choice of guests for home meeting against the Panthers. Cunning what
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ray
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let me see , believe it was trevor who called in guests hansen and klindt for our missing heatleaders , and he is team manager ?! we said it last season , we say it this , nice enough bloke , as long as nuthin' needs sense and effort noticable how the team seems to fall apart under him each season ]. if BD hadn't relit the fire we would not have won the cup last year , he inspired and bullied the team . not much inspiration so far this season , but plenty of bullying ---- to the fans who DO attend .
trevor gets skornicki , and they get ostergaard -- hmm--- how did each of them perform on their last visits to arlington? , did trevor consider that, if he had meant the other way round it must have been too late . when looking at the other team managers the problem is quite clear .
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Travelator
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If as you say it is a 'cunning plan' then they can carry on without my support. I have supported the 'Elite League' and wish to continue watching elite racing.
While I completley understand the financial and management problems until we are officially demoted to the premier league (not through deliberately finishing up last!) I expect to watch exciting competition at arlington.
I know that premier racing can be exciting but I want to see top riders and I think top riders not racing in GB have made a difference to attendance.
I am not so convinced that premier racing at eastbourne would be financially viable as I think the entrance tickets may not end up being cheaper which I would expect for lower league racing.
Bob has been very honest and outspoken and I wish him well and am sure he is extremely sad about the current situation.
Only my opinion but this is what I think 
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ray
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can see your view travelator , but how many times would you not see the top riders on a saturday night .this is , and has been a problem for some seasons and only seems to increase . if lewis had qualified for his next round would we have only had three eagles in the team ? how can this be acceptable , to bspa perhaps , but to us , NO !!!!
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Travelator
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Do agree with you Ray...am just frustrated like everyone else
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parker
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| Travelator wrote: | | Do agree with you Ray...am just frustrated like everyone else |
So am I Travelator and I was only joking about the "cunning plan". Personally I prefer to see top class riders but over the last 4 or so seasons the number of teams in the Elite league has dwindled to an extent that it seems we see the same faces every other week (and most of the top riders dont ride in England now) and that has become boring to some fans, others seemed to leave when Pedersen was dropped from the Eagles. The truth of the matter is we cannot financially sustain an Elite Team at present and havent without BD being prepare to run it at a loss for several seasons. We've run r/r for 3 seasons now rather than bring in replacements. We cannot go on for ever like this.
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ray
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remember some years ago there was the one combined league . just one fixture home and away with each other team . almost all fans went to see each different team , only the one chance in league . glasgow , sheffield , stoke , edinburgh, long eaton some really great matches , and no continuous repeats .think we won it , but plenty of excellent opposition . deano and david leading the way . sure many of you can remember more than i . no overseas teams or competitions taking riders away on week ends . can remember getting videos of away matches coz they were so good . 
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ComeOnYouSpurs
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Monday 6th July... Bob Dugard announces in The Argus that we need to sign a replacement for Floppy... "whether it can be afforded or not"...
I hear the sound of the bolt on the old stable door but the horse has already disappeared into the distance!!
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ray
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yes and more of us are going with the horse .
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