Martin Canning to watch from dugout for rest of season

Hamilton player-manager Martin Canning is set to stay in the dugout for the remainder of the Scottish Premiership campaign in order to prepare for next season.

The Accies boss was available for the win over Kilmarnock on Saturday after serving a two-game suspension but decided to stay on the sidelines.

Hamilton secured their top-flight status the previous week with a 2-0 win over Motherwell, which was Canning’s first in 14 games since taking over from Alex Neil in January. 

They followed that up with a deserved 3-2 win away at Killie thanks to goals from Jason Scotland, Darian MacKinnon and substitute Nigel Hasselbaink, which kept Accies in seventh place with three games remaining.

Canning now plans to use those matches to give more game time to some of the club’s youngsters and his Brazilian transfer window signing defender, Lucas Tagliapietra, who again came on as a late substitute at Rugby Park.

The 33-year-old said: "I thought the boys did really well against Motherwell and I'd like, if I can, to give big Lucas and some of the younger boys an opportunity to play before the end of the season.

"So I thought the best thing to do was to leave myself out and let Lucas and the boys (Eamonn Brophy, Greg Docherty, Craig Watson) sit on the bench.

"Obviously I wasn't able to get the kids on but I would like to try to get them on in the remaining games.

"I am not saying I am out for the rest of the games yet, I will wait and see how things develop in terms of injuries.

"But if everybody stays fit I will probably leave myself out between now and end of the season.

"We are in a comfortable position in the league in terms of we are safe and that was our main goal.”

Despite that, Canning said he has no plans to call time on his playing days altogether just yet.

He added: "I will continue to train and, if needed, I will be there to play but if I can get some of the U20s on to the pitch that will be great.

"I am definitely not chucking it (altogether).

"I am in good shape, physically fit, it is nothing to do with my body, it is more about planning ahead."