PROMOTER Matt Ford revealed that doubts over Maciej Janowski’s team place at Poole Pirates had resulted from the Pole’s delay in agreeing terms.

In an interview with speedwaygp.com, influential heat leader Janowski said he had turned down a deal in Sweden to remain with Pirates but that he was “still waiting” on Ford.

The Poole chief has yet to rule out a return for the Grand Prix newcomer but is likely to wait for the verdict on suspended star Darcy Ward’s hearing with the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) before finalising his line-up.

Janowski empathised with Poole’s quandary and reiterated his desire to stay on in 2015 but Ford said that the five weeks it had taken to garner a response from the 23-year-old had forced him to look elsewhere.

Ford told the Daily Echo: “At no point has there been any falling out with Maciej. I would consider him one of my very best friends in speedway and he means an incredible amount to me.

“There has been an element of misunderstanding. Maciej was my first choice and I offered him a contract long before I spoke with Chris Holder or Darcy Ward.

“He was the first heat leader I offered a contract to on November 30. Unfortunately, he did not come back to me with a definitive answer until January 4.

“If he had accepted when I offered the terms then he would be in the team now, even if that meant Chris or Darcy missing out.”

Ford continued: “Maciej is a very laid-back character. He perhaps did not recognise the need to give an me an answer.

“It was never thought of as a falling out or any kind of problem, more that Maciej had perhaps decided to shelve British speedway for the season with his Grand Prix commitments.

“Rather than push him, I looked at the other options during that time.”

READ: Darcy Ward decision due this week – Ford calls for no ban