BJARNE Pedersen has revealed there is no animosity between him and national team manager Jan Staechmann after the Pirates star was controversially dropped from Denmark’s World Cup team.

Poole Castle Cover’s skipper, who lines up at home against Peterborough in the Elite League tonight (7.30pm), said: “I’m a little bit disappointed they didn’t want to use me in the race-off.

“But I’m absolutely up for it next year. I want to ride for Denmark in the World Cup again although I know I’ll have to battle hard to regain my place.”

That will be music to Staechmann’s ears after he dumped two-times World Cup winner Pedersen in what was labelled a “mutually agreed” decision between the two parties.

It ended Pedersen’s ever-present run of 21 appearances in the competition since 2001.

Pedersen leads Pirates against Panthers in a grudge match tonight when ex-Peterborough rider Hans Andersen is expected to return from a hand injury after missing Poole’s thrilling 45-45 draw at Lakeside on Monday.

A Poole win, against a title-chasing side on their first visit to Wimborne Road this year, would lift them above Ipswich and off the bottom of the table.

Pirates: 1 Hans Andersen, 2 Joe Screen, 3 Daniel Davidsson, 4 Bjarne Pedersen, 5 Chris Holder, 6 Ben Wilson, 7 Steve Boxall.

Peterborough: 1 Niels-Kristian Iversen, 2 Ales Dryml, 3 Mads Korneliussen, 4 Kenneth Hansen, 5 Kenneth Bjerre, 6 Henning Bager, 7 Claus Vissing.