CHRIS Turner is certain that his two Scandinavian imports will have a big role at Hartlepool United this season.

Icelandic striker Armann Bjornsson and Norwegian midfielder Jon-Andre Fredriksen have been used sparingly so far since their summer moves from Norway.

Bjornsson, with four international caps to his name, signed from Brann Bergen, after Fredriksen arrived from Sarpsborg.

The midfielder started the season in Turner’s side before becoming a regular on the bench, while Bjornsson has only made one Johnstone’s Paint Trophy start and seven substitute appearances.

Pools are sitting in ninth spot in League One and the solid performances of his side mean Turner is able to give the pair time to adapt to English football.

They will both play tonight for Pools’ reserves at St James’ Park when they take on Newcastle United and Turner admitted: “It’s very difficult for everyone, it’s about adjusting day in, day out, week in, week out.

“We are nurturing them.

The good thing is that we don’t have to throw them in straight away and put pressure on them. It’s also about living in a new country – if you were asked to go and work in Norway, I think you would find it difficult, it’s no different.

“If you bring a footballer from any part of the country to the North-East it takes time. They are coming from another country, so it’s even harder. They are working hard and it’s about bedding them in.’’ Turner kept faith with Adam Boyd and James Brown in Saturday’s win over Leyton Orient and was rewarded when Boyd scored a late winner.

“It might have been the case on Saturday that we stick Armann on and he goes to the far post and heads one in, but I thought the strikers deserved to stay on because they caused problems,’’ he said.

Steve Haslam is likely to be missing for six weeks as he needs a hernia operation.