FOR national boss Alun Rossiter, the biggest strength of Poole Pirates star Kyle Newman is that he is different.

And Rossiter admitted the 23-year-old’s otherness had been a significant factor in his inclusion in Great Britain’s 10-man Speedway World Cup squad.

The Poole reserve may not yet possess the scoring power of countrymen Tai Woffinden and Chris Harris but his desire to reach the top has done his cause no harm.

And Swindon team manager Rossiter, a three-time league title winner with Pirates as a rider, revealed that he saw himself and Newman as cut from the same cloth.

Rossiter, who also selected the youngster for a Grand Prix qualifier in Croatia at the start of this month, told the Daily Echo: “Since the fast track programme was brought in, Kyle has been the one that has really stood out.

“Previous to that, he was someone who no one thought could get to where he is now.

“He reminds me of myself. He isn’t gifted on a bike in the same way as someone like Darcy Ward but he has achieved through sheer determination.

“I phoned him a week before the Grand Prix qualifier and he didn’t bat an eyelid. He had great enthusiasm and as a manager, that’s what you want.

“Sometimes all I get from riders is, ‘how much is it going to cost and do we get this and that?’ because they don’t see the bigger picture.

“My problem with the kids of today is that in my opinion, they want it all given to them on a plate.

“When I was 19 years of age, I drove from Swindon to Soviet Ukraine to do under-21 rounds. That was in the days of East and West Germany before the Berlin Wall came down so you can imagine how daunting that was!

“I wasn’t talented on a bike but it was about my determination to succeed and I see something similar in Kyle.

“He’s a grafter. He’s doing the Polish league even though he’s not getting a lot of money for it.

“I remember he said to me that he had a meeting over there on a Saturday and I think he only got his flight money, but he said ‘if I want to get in the team I’ve got to go and do it’.

“That stuck in my mind, whereas some other riders wouldn’t have bothered.

“That for me is what it’s all about – wanting to do it – and I applaud him for that. It shows dedication and a desire to improve.”

Rossiter perceives the 2015 and 2016 seasons as being critical to Newman’s development and, by extension, his chances of donning GB colours in the coming years.

“I can’t see why he wouldn’t improve if he maintains his current attitude, because his attitude is 100 per cent,” said Rossiter.

“That’s why I picked him for the World Cup squad.

“I think the next couple of years are vitally important in terms of which way his career goes. But if he continues his commitment and dedication, I don’t see why he can’t go far.

“He’s a genuinely nice lad and I hope he does really well.

“He needs to consistently bang those good scores in, time after time, and he can do it.

“I’ve seen him ride this year and he’s beaten some good riders and taken some big scalps.”

The Speedway World Cup is due to begin on Saturday, June 6 in Poland with event two at King’s Lynn – in which Great Britain will compete against Australia, the United States and Latvia – following two days later.

Rossiter is expected to finalise his five-man squad for the Norfolk Arena meeting tomorrow.