Dundee gaffer admits it is the worst of times

DU N DE E boss Ja mes McPake is no stranger to long lay-offs.

Injuries to his back and a knee plagued the latter years of his playing career, seemingly spending as much time on the treatment table as he did on the park with the Dark Blues.

Now manager, McPake thinks the coronavirus shutdown of Scottish football has been harder to deal with.

The Dee have already been out of action for over three months and are not set to return to Championship football until October 17.

That is seven months between games and, at best, six months until training is likely to return.

Of the time out, McPake believes it can take a physical and mental toll on players.

“I think this has been worse than the injuries,” he insisted.

“I had an injury and I was told I would be out for the best part of a year.

“I have thought about this and, as a footballer, you always have a structure, regardless of whether you are fit or injured for a year like me.

“You know when training and games are and there will be all the preparations and it is the same with an injury.

“You would sit down with the physio and start building up your exercises and there is a plan and things to aim for.

“It is the first time I have experienced anything like this, where you didn’t know what was going to happen.

“For the last however many weeks we’ve had no idea, it’s been tough. It’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced before so it’s hard to use anything to help get through it. Now we have a date, though, it changes the full look of things and we can work on what each player needs and as a team.

“I’m meeting with our medical people to make sure we get the players’ physical and mental health spot on coming through this.

“It’s a tough task but, like anything, we’ll need to build them back up gradually.”

In terms of getting his squad back up to speed, McPake continued: “It is like an ACL, doing your cruciate and being out for that length of time.