Lewis Bridger’s boss in Poland has told the rider he can be a big star if he sharpens up his act.

Bridger, 19, misses Eastbourne Eagles’ Elite League trip to improved Ipswich tonight as he starts a two-match ban.

He has also been suspended from overseas action for two weeks by the BSPA and fined £5,000 by Eagles after after failing to attend the fixture at Belle Vue on Monday.

Bridger reported he had lost his passport in Poland and rode for Czestochowa against Bydgoszcz later that day.

Czestochowa chief Marian Maslanka rates Bridger highly and has backed up his claims that he lost his passport.

But he believes the rider needs to be more organised off the track.

Maslanka told The Argus: “Lewis is a good rider, he has good style, but I don’t know if he really wants to be a speedway rider. There are too many complications with him, too many problems.

“I’ve extended his contract until the end of 2011, I’ve given him a new engine. We have got time now but it would be a tragedy if he did not make it.”

Maslanka indicated he would not have used Bridger for last night’s home defeat by Gorzow even if he had not been banned.

Instead Tai Woffinden stepped in and went unbeaten in his first four rides He added: “I want him to talk with (veteran rider) Greg Hancock. I’ve seen Greg chatting to him at meetings and it’s constructive.

“Lewis is a young boy. It will be a big tragedy if something goes wrong with his career.”

Eagles chief Bob Dugard is happy the punishment affects the rider more than the club, who were innocent parties.

He hopes other riders are still deterred from missing English meetings when they get the chance to take more lucrative bookings abroad instead.

Dugard said: “There are major ramifications from this. (BSPA vice-chairman) Chris van Straaten, like myself, understands the immense pressure Lewis will have been put under to ride in Poland on Monday.

“They were offering large guarantees just for riders to turn up and Lewis has big debts in this country.

“He probably saw the opportunity to wipe out 25% of his debts but he has got to understand how this all works.”

Dugard has always been a big supporter of Bridger but said: “I’m bitterly disappointed Lewis did this to me and to the club.”

Lakeside’s Joonas Kylmakorpi comes into the Eagles side tonight, guesting for injured David Norris while the rider-replacement facility switches to Bridger.

Eagles hope to track a big name No. 1 at home to Lakeside on Saturday.

Ipswich: Nicholls, Kroner, Miskowiak, King, Batchelor, Lambert, Wilkinson.

Eagles: Bridger r/r, Kylmakorpi, Watt, Woodward, Dryml, Gustafsson, Kling.