Hamilton Academical player-manager Martin Canning is grappling with a selection dilemma as his side battles to retain their Scottish Premiership status. With three crucial matches remaining, including a trip to Dens Park to face Dundee, followed by clashes with Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Partick Thistle, the Accies hold a four-point lead over bottom-placed Kilmarnock.
Canning, who has made only three appearances this season, is tempted to select himself given his wealth of experience—over 350 professional games. However, the 34-year-old last featured on February 13, and he is cautious about rushing back. 'My heart's telling me every single minute of every single day to get back in the team and go and play,' Canning said. 'But then when I sit and think about it, my head tells me to wait a minute and be sensible.'
The player-manager emphasised the need for a rational approach, especially after Hamilton's 4-0 home defeat to Kilmarnock last week. 'I'm the manager of the team. It's a crucial part of the season and I have a guy who hasn't played all season. Are you really going to put him straight back in?' he added.
Canning remains confident in his squad's resilience, noting their ability to bounce back from heavy defeats earlier in the season, such as 4-1 losses to Annan and 8-1 to Celtic, by securing goalless draws against St Johnstone and Hearts. 'We know we'll need to have a response on Saturday and I've no doubt there will be,' he said.
