EDINBURGH Scotwaste Monarchs bosses are backing their Swedish star Thomas Jonasson to conquer Armadale – despite his failure to score against Reading Racers a week ago.
The 21-year-old rider fell off in his first two rides against the Racers, partly due to the fact that he was aboard an engine which was simply too powerful for the tight bends of the Lothian Arena circuit. Jonasson must spend more time getting to gri
ps with Armadale, but he misses tonight's Premier League clash against Sheffield Tigers and Monarchs can only use a Conference League rider to replace him.
The Swede has been instructed to turn out for his Polish team Stal Gorzow, and Monarchs are powerless to stop him as the Sheffield match is effectively a rearranged fixture, the original date was reserved for a cup tie.
The capital club therefore don't have first call on his services. Jonasson's foreign commitments have mushroomed since he agreed to join Monarchs, and trying to accommodate them all is proving problematic.
Monarchs boss John Campbell, while unhappy that Jonasson is absent from another home match, still believes the 21-year-old will come good, providing he finds the right bike set-up for Armadale.
"I was astonished," said Campbell, pictured below. "When I asked Thomas at the end of the match why he went out on his GM motor again, he just shrugged his shoulders.
"I asked him why he didn't use his Jawa engine, which is supposedly set up for Armadale, he replied 'I used it in my first race.'
"If he continues to use his GM engine, he'll struggle as he did last Friday. As soon as he rides an engine which is geared up for our track, I'm sure we will see exactly the form we see away from home." Campbell remains 100 per cent behind Jonasson, whose ability isn't in dispute.
"Thomas just needs convinced to use his Jawa motor or something else which will go round Armadale," continued Campbell. "And I'm in no doubt, once the set up is correct, he'll beat all but the best at Armadale because he manages it away from home.
"Once he finds the right motor, he'll fly and won't embarrass himself as he did seven days ago."
It was suggested in some quarters that Jonasson might have benefited from some second-half practice laps after the Reading match was completed, but Campbell said: "There would have been no point, because the track was very difficult to ride. We had prepared the track to suit us and then it rained before the start which made the surface almost impossible for both teams. Thomas fell in his opening ride and perhaps a foolish manouevre in his second also saw him come off. But that's the way he is. He wants to win and saw that as the way to win."
Because Jonasson has ridden so few matches at home for Monarchs, there is a tendency to think he hasn't yet gelled with his teammates. "Not at all," was Campbell's response. "Thomas is 100 per cent a member of the squad and is well liked by everybody. He now stays in Edinburgh without any of his family coming across, so we have no concerns on that score."
Jonasson was hugely dissatisfied at his failure to score a single point, but Campbell doesn't think it is anything to worry about.
"Whilst he hasn't been beating the great guys at Armadale, Friday night was just a particularly bad one for him," he said.
"Perhaps it reinforced the idea that might be in his head, that he has a problem. I have told him we'll get William (Lawson) and Ryan (Fisher) to check his machinery to see what they make of it.
"Thomas is aware he could buy an engine exactly set up for the job But he is a young man racing in three countries with equipment spread over the world. I would guess, financially, he is on the limit.
"Even to change the set-up on one of the engines he's got would cost hundreds of pounds. Yet he earned nothing last week. That's the deal, if he doesn't score, he earns nothing.
"He has got sponsors in Sweden who help him out but nobody helps him out in this country.
"He is doing the best he can. We as a club cannot come up with any financial assistance to help him." Although Monarchs are benefiting from Jonasson's scores on the road, it is still crucial that he performs at Armadale.
"Dropped points at home could spell disaster for Monarchs' championship hopes.
"Thomas wasn't put off by his display against Reading," said Campbell.
"He just wants to move on and is not concerned about his inability to get round Armadale. He hasn't actually ridden at home that many times and it is a pity he is missing this evening."
Jonasson will be back for Monarchs' vital Premier Trophy second leg at Reading on Monday, when they defend a 22-point first leg lead.
But Sheffield, who thumped Monarchs 55-36 at Owlerton a week ago, could prove tricky opponents for the Armadale men, who will surely be weakened by having to use a Conference League youngster to cover for Jonasson.
It's vital Monarchs win to keep the pressure on leaders Somerset, who have won ten of their 11 league clashes so far.
The full article contains 909 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
