GREAT Britain boss Alun Rossiter says he has no ill feelings towards outgoing captain Tai Woffinden after he revealed he would not ride for the national team next year.

Less than three weeks after inspiring Team GB to a first World Cup medal for a decade with a second-placed finish at this year’s event at the new National Speedway Stadium in Manchester, Woffinden says that outing will be his last in national colours for the forseeable future.

Woffinden, who has also recently announced that he will return to racing in the Elite League with Wolverhampton Wolves, scored 19 points in the World Cup final to lead GB to a runners-up finish in front of a passionate home crowd behind champions Poland.

Rossiter conceded that he would have preferred to have Woffinden available to call upon again next season but added that he respected the 26-year-old’s decision and hopes to see him secure a third world championship crown in the Speedway Grand Prix series later this year.

“I am disappointed but I have to respect his decision. I just hope he goes on and wins the world championship now and I’ll be wishing him all the very best of luck with that,” said Rossiter.

“It is what it is, you can’t force anyone to do anything. It’s a shame but I can’t get down on my hands and knees and beg, he’s made up his mind.

“It’s nothing to do with the BSPA, it’s Tai’s decision. He just rang me up and said he didn’t want to ride for the Great Britain team next year and that was that.”

Upon announcing his decision, Woffinden stated that he had no intention on switching nationalities to ride for Australia and did not rule out a potential of riding again for Great Britain in 2018.

Rossiter hinted that the door is always likely to remain open for Woffinden should he want to represent his national side again.

“There is one thing in life that is always true and that’s that you can never say never,” said Rossiter.

“You can’t predict what will happen in the future, we will just have to wait and see.”