Former Hearts man seeking permission to play

The frontman joined last week from Hearts, but Hartlepool are still awaiting the go ahead for the Irishman to make his debut ahead of Saturday’s game at Yeovil.

The club applied for clearance on signing the striker, but, speaking at Thursday morning’s press conference, Pools boss Dave Challinor admitted the process is still on going.

“We are still waiting and it’s a simple process really, but one we wait on,’’ he mused.

“You think it would be pretty quick and both associations, big organisations, aren’t blessed with millions of employees. It’s a process that can take a while. The one positive we have is with it being cross border, it’s done electronically through FIFA.

“With it being the transfer window then we hope that the two associations are switched on and the process is done smoothly.’’

Keena travelled to Dover with Pools for last weekend’s game but was unable to be involved and Challinor will leave it as late as possible for the paperwork to be completed ahead of the game at Huish Park.

He added: “It could happen at anytime, but we prepare the team and select a team around everyone we have. Every player will be aware of the game plan and what we want to do.

“With international clearance it’s not like there’s a deadline, it could drop at 12 o’clock on a Saturday.

“We wait and see and react around it. Whoever goes in, they know their roles and what the job can be. It won’t make an awful lot of difference to a player because it’s well drilled into them what is expected.

“Players want to know and they would be safer in the knowledge they can be involved rather than waiting on the go-ahead.’’

Keena, who has signed an 18-month deal with the option of a further year, found first-team opportunities hard to come by at Tynecastle and new boss Daniel Stendel and sporting director Craig Levein allowed him to move.

He said: “There is a bit of frustration that I never did get the run of games I needed. Whenever I went on loan and played games, I scored goals. At Hearts, the chances were few and far between. It was tough to come into a game when you hadn’t played for six weeks.

“I was maybe getting the last five minutes of a game to show what I could do. It was never ideal. I can’t blame anyone for that. It’s a big club and I’m a young player.”

And a former Pools striker and Stockport team-mate of Challinor helped pave the way for the move.

Jon Daly worked with Keena at Hearts and the striker revealed: “Jon put in a good word for me. This is a chance for me to start playing regularly and hopefully scoring goals. I always said to myself I’d like to come down to England at some stage.

“This maybe isn’t the level I hoped to come to but it’s definitely not too much of a step down. Plenty players make the step back up again from here.

"I’ve had Hartlepool fans and Hearts fans wishing me well. I want to come down here, score a few goals, maybe get the club back up to the play-offs and then see what I can get at the end of my contract.”