BurntFaceMan

"I know there are other riders who this has an impact on. It's not for me to reveal other people's teams but I know it is having an effect at King's Lynn.

Matt Ford confirms Poole in advanced talks with Linus Sundstrom. Ford is keen to make the 27-year-old Avesta-born racer his sixth signing for the club's 70th anniversary season, but rules outlined by the Polish Automobile and Motorcycle Association (PZM) dictate that riders in the Polish Ekstraliga can only race in a maximum of three European leagues. Sundstrom currently has two contracts in his homeland and one in Poland, but Ford is hopeful the Swede will take a place in his 2018 septet. Ford said: "Linus is very good friends with our former world champion Tony Rickardsson and he believes, as I do, Poole is the best place for Linus to really push on to the top of the sport in 2018. "He's a very exciting rider and one I have the utmost respect for. He will complement the riders already signed up for this year perfectly, so I hope we will be able to secure his signature in the not-too-distant future." Should he sign for the Volvo Cars Poole Pirates, Sundstrom would use up 7.22 of Ford's team-building points limit and that would open make James Shanes an ideal fit to join Kacper Woryna, Mateusz Szczepaniak, Chris Holder, Josh Grajczonek and Brady Kurtz in the 2018 line-up. ----- PIRATES boss Matt Ford cannot finalise the signing of Linus Sundstrom unless the Polish authorities lift the controversial three-league rule. The Swedish star has agreed terms ahead of a proposed move to Wimborne Road but the switch is being affected by his contracts elsewhere. Sundstrom is set to race for Masarna and Piraterna in his homeland while he also has a deal in place with Gorzow, who compete in the Ekstraliga – Poland's top flight. It was agreed in November that the Polish Automobile and Motorcycle Association would lift the regulation which restricted Ekstraliga riders to racing in two other leagues. However, the PZM is yet to deliver on that promise. Speaking to this newspaper at the start of December, Ford admitted the three-league rule had been holding up his plans. And he and World Cup-winner Sundstrom remain in limbo. Ford told the Daily Echo: "I'm sure everyone is as frustrated as I am that this saga has been going on since the AGM, when I first made contact with Linus. "While I was at the AGM, we were informed by Tony Steele, who was representing the BSPA at an FIM event, that the rule would be lifted or changed to four leagues. "With this in mind, Linus and I entered discussions and while we have agreed terms, sadly we cannot sign anything until the restriction is lifted. "I don't know what the hold-up is. It's very frustrating because we want to finalise things. "I know there are other riders who this has an impact on. It's not for me to reveal other people's teams but I know it is having an effect at King's Lynn. "I can only hope for all of our sakes that the matter is resolved as soon as possible." When Krzysztof Kasprzak suffered a broken collarbone in May last year, Sundstrom contacted Ford to offer his riding services. And although talks were shelved after Sundstrom picked up a contract at Gorzow – coincidentally to replace Kasprzak – Ford remains a big fan of the 27-year-old. He added: "I can remember Linus coming down with Peterborough in 2012 and beating Chris Holder and Darcy Ward at their peak. "At that time, I remember thinking: 'This kid really has got something special'. Now, I am incredibly excited at the thought of bringing him in. "I know Tony Rickardsson has great regard for Linus and he believes him coming to Poole would be a huge step in his development. "If we get Linus on board, we should also have more contact with Tony as well, which is my hope." Should he complete the signing of Sundstrom, who has a 7.22 average, Ford would have 3.51 points left for his final rider. That would almost certainly be Puddletown-based charger James Shanes, who has a 2.88 rating and would take his place at reserve. However, if the Sundstrom deal falls through, Ford is likely to plump for two mid-range riders to complete his septet. Pirates 2018: Brady Kurtz 8.08, Josh Grajczonek 7.34, Chris Holder 7.16, Kacper Woryna 4.65, Mateusz Szczepaniak 4.54.

GSA is based on points scored. Doesn't mean the rider is better. "Better" is subjective. Nobody is saying that Morris wasn't better at scoring points...

I think that's a question you need to be asking yourself. You said Morris was the better rider in the UK, and I said Kurtz was. What you meant to say is that Morris had a higher GSA. Not at all. Jason Doyle is world champion. Fact. Jason Doyle scored more GP points than Patryk Dudek. Fact. Jason Doyle is a better rider than Patryk Dudek. Subjective, not fact. Just because you decided that a rider is better than another rider based purely on GSA, it does not become fact.

Of course there is. Achieving a higher GSA doesn't mean he was the better rider, it just means he achieved a higher GSA.

But you've been saying the entire time that Morris was the better rider in the UK, not that he was the higher averaged rider in the UK. Kurtz is the better rider, but Nick scored better on average last season.

Where are you getting the fine dining bit from Steve? So far they've not told us a thing. For all we know it could be fish and chips with James Shanes!

I actually couldn't care less. It's only when you see Gavan and Steve banging on about who the better rider is that I can't help but wind them up.

So what do we get for £80 a head? Does it include the menu or will that be £4 on the door? Honestly £80 a head is very expensive. It would have to be pretty fine dining to justify that price and I think I'd much rather a burger and chips if I'm honest. Not sure what kind of entertainment Poole could be putting on but I'm more than a little sceptical. I'll crack up if it's a disco. Anywho, with Matt Ford assuring us that these will sell out fast then I suppose it's got to be good value, right? And at only £750 to sit with a random rider from the 2018 team... bargain! Might give this one a miss.

A higher average makes him a better rider? How so? I do look forward to your facts.

Sorry, you're right. Riders who don't win every race aren't good. I look forward to seeing Nick win every race this season.

Darcy was the best rider to ever grace a bike since Ivan Mauger.

No you'd go for Kurtz on both occasions. You seem to be getting a little confused. If you were choosing who to sign on averages, you'd go with Kurtz. If you were looking to sign the better rider in the UK, you'd go with Kurtz. If you were looking to sign the rider who demonstrates the best natural affinity for racing and talent on a Speedway bike, you'd sign Kurtz. In fact I don't see any scenario in which you'd pick Morris over Kurtz. Morris achieving a half a point better average over a season doesn't make him the better rider, in fact it shows that his 5 extra years of top flight experience has only earned him little over half a point difference in averages.

The Aus Championship that Nick Morris didn't turn up to this year, and lost two rounds to Kurtz in last year?

Because Poole signed Kurtz.

Gavan is an Ipswich fan?

Poole chose KK because Matt and Chris had a tiff. Everybody would choose Kurtz over Morris because he's the better rider.

So Kurtz is considered the better rider.

Yet given the choice every single team would take Kurtz over Morris.

The entire sport is made up of OAP's now. Should give the discounts to the younguns

I find it incredibly annoying that every new member is accused of being another member. It's very unusual and not very welcoming. Assuming you are a new member, being a dick to everybody probably isn't the best way to integrate yourself.

Hahahahaha.

No idea what any of that means.

Or a certain Jason Doyle who rarely went through a meeting without putting it into the fence! Where is he now?...