Hamilton Academical: Brian Rice says club need to lose 'fear factor'
- Published
Hamilton chairman Allan Maitland, head coach Brian Rice and Hamilton director of football Allan McGonigal
Hamilton Academical have to eradicate the "fear factor" among the squad if they are to stay in the Scottish Premiership, says new boss Brian Rice.
St Mirren assistant boss Rice, 55, was named as Martin Canning's replacement on Thursday and takes over a side 10th in the top flight, two points clear of the Paisley club, who are bottom.
They host 11th-place Dundee on Saturday and Rice says they should "enjoy" it.
"The only thing that stops players doing anything is fear," he said.
"We need to try and put in a performance that gets the fans behind them, gets them off their seats, and gets the players playing with a smile on their face."
Chairman Allan Maitland said Canning's departure was required to avoid the club being relegated.
He pointed to a "deterioration each year" in Hamilton's league position over the past few seasons and the more competitive nature of the division.
Rice, who has been an assistant at Falkirk, Hibernian and Inverness Caledonian Thistle, will work in a new structure under director of football Allan McGonigal.
He says "I don't think, I know" that he has a squad capable of retaining their top-flight status.
"If they get the right messages coming from us, you can get players doing anything," Rice said.
"We have to get them playing without fear, expressing themselves. And if they make the mistakes, they make mistakes. It's what they do about the mistakes.
"There are three of us [Hamilton, Dundee and St Mirren] down there at the minute and our sole aim is to finish 10th. That's the short-term aim."