Covid causes selection pain for Rice again
Hamilton Accies manager Brian Rice lamented a familiar story yesterday afternoon after Covid- 19 again affected his preparations ahead of a game.
Rice had selected and prepared his squad by the time he got the call late morning that defender Aaron Martin had been identified as part of track and trace legislation and will now spend a period of 10 days self-isolating.
It disr upted his pla ns for the Kilmarnock game and has left him bemoaning an ability to play the same personnel in order to find some momentum.
“It’s not just us who have problems, but we have it severe,” said Rice. “We just can’t get that wee run, with the same team and people available.
“Everything was done on Saturday morning. We’d worked out the team, worked out the set- plays and when my phone rang at 11.30am and it’s the physio, your heart sinks.
“Aaron is a big player for me. He’s been fantastic for me since he came in.
“We were missing our two main centre- halves from the last two clean sheets. Brian Easton was injured last week and came off.
“Aaron and Brian have held the back three together. To lose the two of them coming here was a big, big loss and we saw that at the second goal. It was a bit of inexperience which cost us. Young Jamie Hamilton did something very rash, which he wouldn’t normally do.
“Jamie says he didn’t see him ( Kiltie). It’s inexperience but they need to learn and learn quickly. The situation we’re in, all the things I’ve spoken about before, it’s not clearing up and it got worse today. We need to learn.”
With Covid numbers suggesting problems will get worse before they get better, Rice is aware he could do with adding some fresh bodies in the window.
It has proved to be easier said than done, however.
“It’s going to get worse, there’s nothing surer than that,” he said. “It does affect your team selection and everything at the club. That’s why you need numbers. We’re actively trying to get people in but it’s really, really difficult.
“I thought I had two players signed last Friday, the Covid situation changed and they chose to stay in England.”