MIHAI HAPPY AT HAMILTON
Popular defender Popescu open to stay
Hamilton defender Mihai Popescu is open to returning to Accies next season once he ends his loan spell from Hearts.
The Romanian centre-back has been a regular for head coach Stuart Taylor this season and is a popular figure among fans, but his spell in South Lanarkshire is approaching its end as the Championship campaign enters the home straight.
Accies are eighth after a 2-2 draw with Dunfermline last weekend and they travel to Partick Thistle on Saturday.
Popescu’s contract at Hearts runs out in the summer following his loan expiry, and having spent time in Scottish football with Hamilton, Hearts and St Mirren, he’s keen for he and his family to remain here.
That place could be Accies, but football can be unpredictable, according to Popescu.
He explained: “For the moment, I haven’t spoken with anyone, so I am focused on the job I have to do here at Hamilton. Hopefully something will come along at the end of the season.
“We will see what happens as I would love to continue to play in Scotland, whether that’s at Hearts, Hamilton or another team in the country.
“I am settled here. That’s why I decided to come back here for a second time when I had the offer from Hearts. I know Scottish football and what it is like. I like the football here and the atmosphere.
“We know what football is like. You need to take the present, play the games and hope for something. We will see.”
Popescu has had to make some adjustments to his game as penalties are given against his side, the latest being an Ellis Brown tackle on Josh Edwards resulting in a Dunfermline penalty last weekend.
Head coach Taylor disagrees with the decision but for Popescu as a defender, he is taking extra steps to make sure he isn’t the next person to give one away. But inconsistency is frustrating.
Popescu added: “It’s hard to defend in the box if a striker or other player comes in. It will be 50-50 that they get a penalty if you make a tackle or block a shot.
“Sometimes you need to make contact with your man and some of them will look for the penalty.
“It happens everywhere. If that happens inside the box, the ref never whistles, so it is entirely different in terms of defending inside and outside the box. Most of the time we complain to the referee about that (consistency).
“But these are the rules.”