Accies fail in bid to sign Hibs' Fabian Yantorno

Jan 29 2009 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

HAMILTON's bid to sign Fabian Yantorno looks unlikely, after Hibs said they were only willing to release the player on loan.

Accies are unable to sign the Uruguayan star on loan as it would have breached a rule allowing only one loan player over the age of 21 to be at any given club at any one time.

Accies boss Billy Reid had been hopeful of the signing and said: “There are one or two things to sort out, but he trained with us on Wednesday morning.

“Signing Fabian until the end of the season would be fantastic.

“He’s a flair player who can add something different to our squad and we’re looking forward to being able to do that.”

Reid moved this week to assure Hamilton fans that midfield dynamo James McArthur is one of several stars who are emphatically NOT up for sale.

He was speaking amid speculation suggesting Celtic were preparing a £1.5m bid. But indications from the club are that it would take a “ridiculous” amount to prise McArthur – or any other top star – away from New Douglas Park during the current window, which runs until Monday night.

Reid said: “I don’t know how many times we need to tell the press that nobody is leaving here! I have the backing of my chairman, Ronnie MacDonald, and the board in that.

“There is speculation, but that’s going to happen all the time when you have good players. There’s interest in a number of Accies players, but that’s just credit to them and how well they’ve progressed at this club.

“The way they play and the manner in which they conduct themselves is just brilliant.

“The club has come a long way; it’s amazing the journey we’ve been on in the last few years, but there’s a lot more hard work to be done yet.”

Reid also said he’s still looking to strengthen before Monday’s deadline.

One player who won’t be joining, however, is former Scunthorpe captain Ezemo ‘Izzy’ Iriekpen. The defender reneged on a promise to Reid and backed out at the last minute, to instead sign for Bristol City.

However, Billy was delighted with Sunday’s 1-0 win at Kilmarnock which put Accies nine points clear of bottom side Inverness.

He said: “It was a fantastic result at Rugby Park and a tremendous performance. I said after the game that we were brilliant and I stand by it. That was our best performance of the season.

“We did everything right, we got in people’s faces, played well at times, passed the ball, dominated the game and made chances and we were so solid at the back.

“I don’t think our goalkeeper, Tomas Cerny, had a save to make in the whole game and that’s credit to everybody in the team.

“But we’re not going to get carried away; there’s a lot of hard work to be done between now and the end of the season.”

Reid’s target now is getting above seventh-placed Motherwell, who Hamilton play at Fir Park on February 14.

He said: “It’s a smashing gap at this time of the season but I’m not looking at that. I’m looking up the way, which I’ve said all along.

“Even when we were bottom of the table we were looking at the team above us and at the moment it’s Motherwell, who are two points ahead.”

Reid is relishing Saturday’s clash with Hearts. “We feel as though we should have taken something from the two games against Hearts this season but we didn’t, and we will try to rectify that.

“I think this football club is more than capable of beating anybody – we’ve taken six points out of six against Aberdeen, the team in third place, and I think that tells you everything.

“We have to be solid, we have to be patient, and Hearts have good players who can hurt you. But we feel that we have good players and if we play to our potential then we can win the game.

“The pleasing thing for me is that we’ve tightened up at the back and haven’t conceded a goal in our last four games.”