Canning: Selection headache welcome

HAMILTON manager Martin Canning is happy to have some selection dilemmas after coming through a major turnaround of his squad.

Canning listed 11 players who would have been regulars at the start of the season who were not involved in Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Motherwell, their second win in succession.

Dougie Imrie and Georgios Sarris were suspended and Darian MacKinnon and Alex Gogic are out with long-term injuries, while Ioannis Skondras is back in Greece dealing with a family issue.

On top of that, Accies have seen the likes of Greg Docherty, Massimo Donati, Louis Longridge, Steven Boyd and Grant Gillespie depart during the course of the campaign.

“We sat and talked about it on Saturday after the game,” Canning said.

“It was 11 players that you would have probably picked as either your starting team or would have come on in a game at the start of the season.

“The depth of the squad is so important. You have guys like big Shaun Want who has been patient all season and was excellent on Saturday.

“We have brought in Kenny [van der Weg] and Jenks [Ross Jenkins] who have really added to the squad.

“We have Dougie and Georgios back for the weekend and when we get Ali [Crawford] and Darian back it makes us stronger again.”

Skondras will again miss Saturday’s trip to Ladbrokes Premiership bottom club Ross County along with Crawford and MacKinnon, but the latter two are closing in on comebacks from knee injuries.

“Ali did a bit of running again on Tuesday and Darian is kicking on,” Canning said.

“Both are doing great and hopefully we will get them back, probably not for Saturday, but I am hoping it would definitely be for Kilmarnock at home.”