TERRY Butcher believes Hamilton will again prove to be a tough nut to crack tomorrow, but is hoping his Inverness side can earn a win to leapfrog them and take a step closer to Clydesdale Bank Premier League safety.
Caley Thistle have failed to beat Accies this season and were lucky to escape with a 1-1 draw when the sides met last month. Butcher expects another difficult encounter against the team led by PFA Scotland Manager of the Year nominee Billy Reid.
"
Hamilton are tough, resilient and have some top players," Butcher said.
"They had a good win last weekend against Kilmarnock and they know another win would see them take a step closer to survival. But we could go above them and we'll know what we have to do with the results on Saturday.
"Billy's Manager of the Year nomination is worthy in my opinion. He's a tough competitor and demands perfection from his players, which is normally why his sides play good football.
"He works with a small budget but still manages to get the best from his squad and has some really exciting young players coming through, with some experienced ones too."
Butcher made three changes to his side for last weekend's win at St Mirren, with Andy Barrowman, Roy McBain and goalkeeper Michael Fraser all coming in from the cold. And the manager hinted they may keep their starting slots, saying: "Roy had to bide his time, he's worked ever so well in training and in the reserves and been very unlucky with the under-21 rule not to have appeared on the bench.
"He took his chance on Saturday and should've scored. Andy Barrowman held the ball up well and Michael Fraser didn't have an awful lot to do in the match."
Meanwhile, Butcher's counterpart Reid has warned suitors of the SPL's Young Player of the Year, James McCarthy, they will not be able to sign the New Douglas Park teenager on the cheap.
Accies this week knocked back a bid from Portsmouth for their young midfielder for a reported £500,000 fee.
Manager Reid was not insulted by Portsmouth's offer but insists it was nowhere near the 18-year-old's true worth.
"We can't influence what people value him at and put offers in at," Reid said. "I think that's a wee bit to test the water, to see exactly where the club is.
"The one thing you can guarantee is James won't leave this club unless it's for decent money and he'll go to a club that he wants to go to."
Despite interest from some of the biggest clubs in Europe, Accies have managed to hold onto McCarthy since he made his debut as a 15-year-old in November 2006. Reid is confident the latest bout of speculation will not affect the player.
"James has had that speculation over the last couple of years so he knows how to handle it," said Reid.
"If he keeps playing the way he's playing, it wouldn't surprise you if a lot bigger clubs came in for him as well."
The full article contains 524 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
