Accies boss says win against Caley is safety net club needs

May 7 2009 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

HAMILTON boss Billy Reid this week told his side to set their sights on overtaking Motherwell in the SPL table.

A win against Inverness on Sunday would take Hamilton to 40 points and virtually safeguard their top-flight status; depending on Saturday’s results it could also leave them trailing their derby rivals by just a point.

Eighth-placed Accies then entertain Falkirk and Motherwell on Wednesday and Saturday... and Reid hopes to do enough to land in seventh spot.

When asked if he thinks a win at the Caledonian Stadium could secure Hamilton’s SPL status, the gaffer gave lengthy consideration before saying: “I do. I think if we pick up three points away from home at Inverness we would be virtually safe, but that’s a big ask.

“Inverness went down to Paisley and won against a decent St Mirren side last weekend, so that shows you how difficult it’s going to be. But we’ve done well in the two games up there and probably should have taken six points out of six. We have to go back up there for a third time and we’ll meet the challenge head-on.”

Reid added: “We’re not looking down, we’re looking up. Sunday’s game is a huge one for us and while I’m not going to put my neck on the line by giving a points total to target, if we win we can have Motherwell in our sights.

“People say that because Falkirk are six points behind us they can catch up, but we’re four points behind Motherwell in seventh place and that’s what we’re looking at.

“I feel that we’ve turned the corner in our last two performances and are looking much more like ourselves, but I put that down to having a fit squad.

“I have the belief that if we can get our top players on the park and have guys like Richard Offiong firing on all cylinders then we can win any game.”

Reid was delighted in Saturday’s 2-1 win over Kilmarnock, as PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year James McCarthy grabbed a glory double.

And he said: “We still need two or three points but that was a big one and gives us a wee cushion.

“On Saturday we were the home side, we felt that we had to force the issue and we did that early on.”

Reid has praised McCarthy’s performances all season and that was vindicated when the 18-year-old won the PFA Scotland prize on Sunday – an award given to him by fellow professionals.

The boss said: “I was over the moon for James. I said to both him and James McArthur (also nominated) that whoever won the award would deserve it.

“McCarthy is such a cultured player and to have made his debut at 15 and come through like he has is something that gives me great pleasure.

“It says a lot that almost everyone thought he should win the award and I think he capped that on Saturday with an excellent performance in what was a big game for us.”

Accies this week rejected a written offer for McCarthy from Premiership side Portsmouth.

Reid said: “It’s an honour when there is interest like this in my players but I’ve said all along that I don’t want to lose my better players. I’m trying to build a club here.

“But we have to be realistic; we’re a small club in the SPL and if bigger clubs come in and offer better terms than we can give them, then we have an obligation to speak to the players and make sure they know what’s happening.

“While we can’t stand in players’ way, it would be crazy for me to want to lose somebody like James McCarthy.”