Stuart Taylor says Shaun Want remains a big part of his plans, despite the defender going out on loan to League One Peterhead for the rest of the season.
The centre-back, who still has over a year left on his contract at New Douglas Park, last featured for Accies in November in their Challenge Cup quarter-final exit to Kilmarnock and couldn't get his place back in the squad after recovering from a hamstring injury.
Earlier in the campaign Want was ruled out for a few weeks with a serious head knock and also suffered a thigh injury.
Accies currently have plenty of central defensive options with Mihai Popescu, Dan O'Reilly, Brian Easton and Jamie Hamilton all capable, so Taylor says it is in Want's best interest to get game time with Jim McInally's side, where has already featured twice in the last week in a win over Dumbarton and a defeat to Queen's Park.
Taylor explained: "We had four centre-backs and then Shaun came back from his injury.
"That gave us five centre-backs, but that didn't make him the fifth [choice] centre-back, I must state that.
"We had a chat with Shaun and it was about him getting as many minutes as possible from now until the end of the season, so he can come back in pre-season with a rack of games under his belt.
"We gave him that opportunity rather than him being here training waiting for a chance to come up.
"It was the right thing to go and do.
"I know the manager there [McInally]. They go and play football, they try and do things right, as we try and do.
"And I thought it was a perfect fit to go there, to a team that plays out from the back. He can go and compete to win games and get the team up the table.
"There is a great opportunity for him to play Tuesday-Saturday, Tuesday-Saturday at Peterhead and churn out 15 games before the end of the season.
"It's a great opportunity, while he continues to stay with us for training in a full-time capacity."
Meanwhile, as Want heads out on loan Taylor admitted Accies' chance of strengthening their side didn't come to fruition before the loan deadline passed on February 28.
Asked if they had tried to bring anyone in, Taylor said: "There was nothing that turned out to be close for us.
"Anything we looked to go and do was taken away; we were outbid or whatever the case may be.
"We did try, but we are still working hard to get things sorted for next season."
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