Alex Dyer right not to play Eamonn Brophy, says Brian Rice

Hamilton manager Brian Rice reckons Alex Dyer is right to freeze out wantaway Kilmarnock striker Eamonn Brophy.

Brophy has signed a pre-contract agreement with St Mirren and will make the move to Paisley in the summer - unless a deal can be struck for him to go now.

But Killie boss Dyer says it is highly unlikely he will name the Scotland cap in his line-up for this weekend's clash with Brophy's former club Accies after insisting he doesn't want to be here''.

The Englishman has told the 24-year-old it would be better if he joined the Buddies as soon as possible - and Rice can sympathise with his opposite number.

"I listened to Alex's interview yesterday and I think he spoke very well about it,'' said the Hamilton boss ahead of Saturday's trip to Ayrshire.

"It's a difficult situation to be in, we're all fighting for our lives, we're all fighting for points - then one of your players decides it's not the place for him to be next season.

"So I think I'd be in the same position as Alex.

"It's very difficult. Eamonn is a goalscorer. He's a good player. We had him here before I came to the club. He got himself in the Scotland squad through his performances for Kilmarnock, so it's very difficult to manage.

"I don't think you can do right for doing wrong in that situation. Some people will criticise you, others will applaud you.

"It's down to the individual club. Alex has made a decision and I know him well enough to know he's not just done it off the top of his head, he's thought about it long and hard.''

Rice is looking to build on last weekend's 3-0 Lanarkshire derby win over Motherwell and he praised Ross Callachan after the midfielder shrugged off coronavirus to fire in his fifth goal in nine games.

The former Hearts and St Johnstone midfielder suffered a horror ankle break last season while on loan at Dundee but has found a home since joining Accies in the summer.

Rice said: "I think Ross has found a place where he is comfortable and in a position where we can get the best out of him.

"I've liked Ross for a long time. He's a midfielder who gets into the box and wants to score goals. He always gets chances in matches.

"We've got to remember that a year ago he had a broken ankle and he was out for a long time.

"But it says a lot about his character that he worked really hard during lockdown and got himself into really good shape.

"He's come here and I've been absolutely delighted with him.

"He had Covid and came back from that just a few days before the Motherwell game. He was also one of the players who went through track and trace earlier in the season as well so he's missed a wee bit of time because of the Covid situation.

"But you would never know the way he trains. He trains the way he plays, which is what I like. His character gets him through. He appreciates everything he's got being a football player.''

• superscoreboard