Accies gaffer likes to keep a close personal watch on the opposition

HAMILTON boss Brian Rice had no qualms about travelling to the Highlands for a first-hand view of tomorrow’s opponents Ross County.

The Staggies’ match against Motherwell on Monday night was televised live but the Accies manager preferred to be in the stand in Dingwall to see the home side’s 1-0 win.

Rice was also a spectator at the St Mirren versus Livingston match in Paisley on Saturday, the day before Hamilton lost 5-1 at Celtic Park in their opening Premiership fixture.

“Sometimes you can only get the telly and you can’t make it but, in my opinion, you have got to be there to see,” said Rice, who revealed midfielder Ronan Hughes will be out for “quite a while” with a hamstring injury.

“That’s how I work. Everybody works differently. Some managers don’t go, they send their assistants or their analysts or whatever.

“I like to be hands on. I always go, I always have done, it is the same with players.

“I’ve got to see players playing before I sign them. I signed a player once that I didn’t see and it was a mistake.

“And I like the drive, it gives me time to think. I was three hours back from Dingwall, thinking about how they played, how I would like to play against them. It is great having time to yourself.

“My pal works 6 to 6 in Tesco, that is time consuming. This isn’t time consuming, this is my job.

“I think it is very important for me to see the opposition.”

Former Inverness assistant manager Rice was impressed with County’s season opener.

He said: “I thought they did very well. They started the game better than Motherwell.”

Hamilton manager Brian Rice.