GREAT Britain boss Alun Rossiter said he never questioned himself or his team after they capped off a ‘special’ evening by securing their spot in the Speedway World Cup final on Saturday.

The Swindon Robins team manager switched hats for the weekend and guided his side to a place in Poland next Saturday having won Event One at King’s Lynn Stars’ Adrian Flux Arena with a huge nine point cushion over second-placed Australia, who were forced to leave out Swindon skipper Jason Doyle through injury.

Rossiter came in for a lot of abuse on social media ahead of Saturday’s meeting in Norfolk for his team selection, something he admitted affected his family, but having questioned himself in the past, the 51-year-old said he has a new attitude and was over the moon to secure his third final berth in his four years of being Britain’s manager.

“It was pretty special,” he told the Advertiser.

“Everyone had Australia down to walk straight through but we did it, just like I did when I first came in in 2014 and they had the likes of Darcy Ward riding.

“We did it against all odds.

“For many years, I had the stuffing knocked out of me and I was even doubting myself.

“I think, once I won my first league title in 2010 with Coventry, my whole approach and whole attitude changed.

“It took a while, I kept just missing out and then 2010 and 2012 really reaffirmed it. To have a bit more belief in myself.

“When people keep telling you that you’re rubbish, or you’re not good enough, it rubs off on you.

“I think, after 2012, my attitude really changed. I thought, ‘I am good at my job’.”

Britain’s fine start, winning the opening five heats, set the platform for the victory but Rossiter was full of praise for the impact of skipper Craig Cook.

“We needed to get off to a good start,” he added.

“It sets the tone for the evening and to reel off five wins on the bounce and I didn’t really see that coming.

“I had a great set of lads and we all worked together, it was a solid team unit.

“I can’t praise Craig Cook enough. He has got a lot of critics but, how cool and calm he was on Saturday and that went through the rest of the riders in the build-up and in the match.

“His single-minded determinedness was a big part of our success.”