To play or not to play? That is the question Martin Canning wrestles with on a weekly basis as the Hamilton Academical player/manager hums and haws over team selection.

Does he continue to bawl instructions from the technical area or does he get in amongst himself on the pitch and lead from the front? It’s a tricky one for Canning, particularly as Hamilton need all the help they can get as they try to move clear of the Scottish Premiership’s relegation play-off spot.

Last weekend’s 4-0 reversal to a resurgent Kilmarnock, the team currently occupying that second-bottom place in the table, left the Accies just four points above the Ayrshire side with three games to play.

It’s all hands to the pump at this time of the campaign and while he is sorely tempted to scribble his name down on the starting line-up, Canning, who has made only three playing appearances this season, knows he has to resist those urges.

“The biggest thing for me right now is to accept that it’s such a crucial stage of the season and I’ve not been playing a lot,” he said. “It’s a big thing to come in and expect yourself to be fit and ready to go.

“My heart’s telling me every single minute of every single day to get back in the team and go and play and be an influence. But then when I sit down and think about it, my head tells me to wait a minute and be sensible.

“You’re the manager of the team, it’s a vital part of the season and you have a guy who hasn’t played all season. Are you really going to put him straight back in?

“That’s my job, it’s part of the decision making process. I’ve got analyse it and get it as right as I can. My thought process is always thorough. I try and think about it properly, then do the right thing.”

During a trying campaign, Hamilton have shown sturdy resilience to bounce back from notable drubbings like the 8-1 defeat to Celtic and the 4-1 cup humbling by Annan Athletic and Canning is confident his troops will pick themselves up, dust themselves down and come out fighting against Dundee this weekend.

“The players know they let themselves down against Kilmarnock,” he added. “We need to have a response on Saturday and I’ve no doubt there will be one.”