Rice wants Accies to play football with a smile

GEORGE Oakley claims Brian Rice’s positivity can help push H a m i lton up t he L ad br okes Premiership table.

Oakley joined Accies last Thursday, hours after Rice took over as head coach, and played in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with fellow Ladbrokes Premiership strugglers Dundee.

The pair previously worked together at Inverness and Oakley believes his new gaffer’s approach is ideal for a team battling for survival.

“He’s a really positive guy,” the striker said ahead of tonight’s visit of St Johnstone.

“He is straight to you as well, if he thinks you have got to work on something he will work on it with you.

“He wants you to play with a smile on your face. You are halfway there if you’ve got a smile on your face. It’s just like you are playing with your friends – take all the pressure out and just enjoy your football.

“That’s what he brings to it, he makes you enjoy yourself.”

Rice has taken charge of a team for the first time at the age of 55 having held assistant roles at a number of clubs, latterly St Mirren.

And Oakley always felt he could be his own man.

“He had the qualities to do it, it was just if he wanted to take the step to be a manager,” the 23-yearold said. “He has and I think he has well deserved it.”

The positive approach Rice is trying to instil was helped by the circumstances of Saturday’s game as Darian MacKinnon struck late on to seal a point.

Oakley said: “Playing in the game, I felt like we deserved more from it, and the last-minute equaliser just gave everyone a boost. If we keep going, we will be all right.”