Accies boss Billy Reid faces a tough challenge to fix poor start

Aug 26 2010 by Andrew McGilvray, Hamilton Advertiser

BILLY Reid admits he faces one of the biggest tests of his career as he bids to turn around Accies’ poor start to the season.

Accies head for Saturday’s SPL clash at Inverness Caledonian Thistle with serious personnel issues.

They also go into the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium clash on the back of two 4-0 SPL defeats to Aberdeen and Hearts, while First Division pace-setters Raith Rovers knocked Accies out of the Co-operative Insurance Cup second round with a 1-0 win at Stark’s Park on Tuesday.

Reid doesn’t have his problems to seek with defenders Mark McLaughlin and David Elebert struggling – while captain Alex Neil is likely to be out for up to 10 weeks.

Following his red card in Saturday’s defeat to Hearts, defender Martin Canning is also suspended.

The New Douglas Park manager is naturally unhappy with his team's start to their third successive campaign in the top flight and was furious about the cup upset at Stark’s Park, but says that his players’ response is now crucial.

He said: “The players need to start doing things the right way again.

“We need to be better and I’m confident that we will be, but it won’t be easy – this is going to be another major test of my management skills and for the players.

“We’re finding it difficult at the moment and I don’t enjoy watching that, but I’m the manager and I will carry the can.

“However, the players need to realise that it’s ultimately down to them.

“I sign them and put them out there but I can’t do anything if people make individual mistakes. All I can do is point it out to them and make sure they don’t repeat those mistakes.

“I would say ‘don’t panic’, but there are warning signs and we need to respond to that.”

Reid’s injury list wouldn’t be relished by any manager and he said: “If you look at the guys we’ve lost since last season, they are all key players who would start in this team, and on top of that we’ve got David Elebert, Mark McLaughlin and Alex Neil out.

“We’ve got five or six defenders out and we’ve got maybe eight in the squad, so it’s not easy at the moment.

“A lot of players have come in and they have to adjust, which is difficult in what is a patched-up team.

“There is a lot wrong just now, but people need to take that into consideration.”

Reid was angered by Tuesday’s cup upset but said that the First Division outfit were worthy winners and that Accies’ response could shape their season.

He said: “I’ve watched it on video and Raith’s goal was two yards offside, but that doesn’t change the fact that they deserved to win and we got what we deserved – which was nothing.

“I was angry after the game but it’s how you react to defeat and, when things go against you, that’s the important thing.

“There’s no point in smashing things up because this could be the making of myself as a manager and the players.

“It’s all about being positive, pointing out mistakes and trying to sort things out.”

On Saturday’s 4-0 defeat to Hearts, Reid said: “At times it was embarrassing. There were big holes to plug and we were all over the place.

“It has been a difficult time for us but there is no excuse – what we put on the park should be capable of putting in a better performance than that.”

Reid hopes that stopper David Buchanan will recover from a groin strain to play on Saturday, while Andy Graham will be in contention again, having been suspended on Tuesday.

The club hope international clearance will be received in time for new signing Nigel Hasselbaink to feature.

The 19-year-old Dutchman – a nephew of former Leeds and Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink – signed on Monday from PSV Eindhoven until the end of this season.

Reid said: “Nigel is young, he’s a good prospect, and it’s up to us to bring that out of him.

“We can’t sign players that are the finished article because they go to bigger clubs than us.”