Hamilton Accies striker Andy Ryan says boss John Rankin has brought in a feel-good factor that he hopes takes them through to the Premier Sports Cup knock-out stages.
Vice-captain Ryan was on the scoresheet as Accies beat Forfar 3-0 at Station Park, putting them into a final day showdown at home to Queen’s Park to decide second place in Group H.
Ryan has been on form in pre-season, scoring twice in the three group stage games, and says that’s a feeling that has spread through the New Douglas Park club.
Ryan, 27, said: “There’s a real feel-good factor. I think with the gaffer coming in he’s a bundle of energy – I call him ‘the Duracell Bunny’ because he never stops and everything he does is with enthusiasm. You can see he just loves the game.
“I think that rubs off on the boys. Pre-season hasn’t been enjoyable, but it has been enjoyable at the same time, if you get me? There’s a real good feel-good factor.
“In the three games we’ve had in the cup, we’re still trying to learn the new system, and the things that he’s asking.
“But at the end of the day it doesn’t matter if it’s a cup game or a five-a-side game in training – we want to win.
“That’s the mentality we need to breed at this club, now, so although we’re trying new things, new systems and asking players to do different roles, we need to get that winning feeling and carry that into the league campaign.”
Ryan added: “I feel good. I’ve had a really good pre-season with no injuries, while last season was a bit stop-start. I came in when I was actually injured, and I got Covid, so I didn’t have a pre-season.
“This season I feel good, I feel fit, strong, and I’ve got a few goals under my belt in pre-season as well, so I’m ready to go.”
Looking ahead to that game against Queen’s Park, with both sides on six points, Ryan said: “It’s a big game, we’ll go out and try and win it, as we have done in every other one.
“Come 5pm on Saturday hopefully we’ll be in a good position and a good place.
“I think the mood in the camp means everybody’s raring to go, everybody wants to play and we’re trying to win every match.
“It’s Queen’s Park, it’s a team that’s in our league, and we want to win. If you want to do well, you need to win games.”
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