The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Adam is ‘different class’ for Dundee
The performances of Charlie Adam recently have been “nothing short of remarkable” says Dundee manager James Mcpake after weeks of injury worries and the pain of family bereavement.
The Dark Blues boss has spoken of how difficult it was for him when his father passed away when he was a player at Dens Park.
Tu esday was Adam’s mother Ellie’s funeral after she sadly passed away shortly before Christmas after a battle with cancer.
“Our thoughts are with Charlie and his family,” said Mcpake.
“What that man has done in the last three weeks is nothing short of remarkable.
“I lost my dad when played for Dundee and realise how hard that is.
“Charlie lost his mum but he is still coming and playing games at that level.
“He’s hardly trained
I I because of the injury and you wonder mentally where he is at. I know where I was at when I lost my dad.
“For him to churn out performance after performance consistently the way he has, I genuinely can’t speak more highly of him as a person, never mind a footballer.
“He’s been different class for our football club on and off the pitch.
“I’m genuinely just glad to have the chance to work with him.
“He wants to play every single game”
The former Rangers and Liverpool man was a major doubt for the big weekend clash with Hearts and is still recovering from a problem with his thigh ahead of Saturday’s Scottish Cup match with Bonnyrigg Rose.
However, Mcpake says he won’t be surprised to have Adam fit and available this weekend.
With the Dark Blues big in favourites to see off their Lowland League opponent at Dens Park, and a crucial league match at Raith Rovers the following Tuesday, Saturday’s match could be the ideal time to rest Adam.
Mcpake, though, insists that sort of decision isn’t so straightforward when it is Charlie Adam and Dundee being talked about.
Asked whether he’ll rest Adam this week, Mcpake said: “Potentially, but it will be dictated by the injury.
“He has missed a fair bit of training for different reasons so it might be important that he does play.
“He has had a tough day this week so we’ll see.
“He is experienced enough to know how he is.
“The problem I have is that he loves this club so much he wants to play in ever y single game. He wants to play in bounce games and development games.
“I’ve never seen anything like it.”
There were a couple of injury issues to emerge after Saturday’s 3-1 win over Hearts, with rightback Christie Elliott and defender-cum-midfielder Jordan Mcghee picking up knocks.
Those two may still be fit for the weekend, however.
“Christie Elliott needed an injection in his ankle,” said Mcpake.
“It’s an old injury and he just needs something to take the inflammation away. We’ve held off on it but we had to do it this week. At a push he can play Saturday if needed.
“M c G h e e ’s ankle is getting better. It’s credit to him he played through that on Saturday but there was no way he was coming off.”
Meanwhile, striker Alex Ja k u b i a k successfully underwent surgery to sort a thigh tendon problem on Tuesday. He is expected to be out for two to three months.