THE Pirates' 2002 Elite League title challenge starts here.

Yep, it's still only November but Poole have already laid the foundations for next year's squad and I'm delighted to be part of it - and captain.

As I already mentioned in the Daily Echo this week, I think that the signings of Tony Rickardsson and Bjarne Pedersen are terrific moves for the club.

I really don't need to explain why Tony is such an asset to the team, he was fantastic last year.

And I personally believe that possibly only Jason Crump can stop Ricko wining his fifth World title in 2002.

Bjarne is going to be a new boy to the Elite League but he's already showed his class.

He rode in the World Cup for Denmark last year in Poland and did well on two separate visits to Wimborne Road.

Where the management go from here I just don't know.

This is where Matt Ford and co. really earn their crust, this is the period of time when league titles can be won and lost and not necessarily on the track between next March and October.

Of course D-Day is drawing closer for the British Speedway Promoter's Association on whether they will rubber stamp the controversial one Grand Prix rider per team ruling.

This is becoming a trickier subject every day and the final decision is expected on Monday morning. My official opinion on this is simple. It will be a very bold move by the BSPA which will either make or break the Sky Sports Elite League.

It will also open a huge can of worms with world class riders being left club-less and that could bring legal implications like denial of earnings etc. It could get messy. Poole will be hit hard.

Matt Ford spent a great deal of time and money discovering sensational talent like Krys Cegielski and Greg Walasek and it could be that both these riders cannot race in the Elite League - which means Matt loses out on loan or transfer fees or their services altogether.

It's going to take a brave man to make the final decision and I just hope it works. One thing we should be able to look forward to in 2002 is Grand Prix riders in abundance at Wimborne Road - for the World Cup.

England is hosting the second SWC after it's massive success in Poland last year won by the Australians.

And Poole will start the whole off by staging the opening meeting of the tournament, although we don't know exactly which countries will be riding in the round being held on the south coast.

We, Team Great Britain, must have a great chance of being World champs next season - if we stay injury free. Scotty Nicholls should be flying and we've got Mark Loram, Joe Screen, Chris Louis, Carl Stonehewer, Lee Richardson and, hopefully, yours truly in the squad.

I'm confident because I think Scotty and Lee will both be on fire next season.

So 2002 will be great. Super Sven, Becks and co. land the big one in Japan and Korea. Then a month later we do the same on home soil.

What a dream that would be.