Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
McPake tells of as he faces high
DUNDEE boss James McPake feels his experiences of injury during his career have helped him since moving into management.
The former Hibs and Dark Blues skipper endured a lengthy back problem before his career ended with a serious knee injury after a tackle in a Dundee derby.
“I’ve been injured a lot,” the former central defender said.
“It is part of football but it is the human it affects. Some lonely hours in the gym and hard times where everyone is asking how you are and you just want to be out there helping your team.
“At times you feel like you are letting people down but you aren’t really.
“Now I look back on it, you are injured but you are working really hard to get back and help your team.
“I look at that side of it and I believe it is something that helps me as a manager.
“I’ve played for managers who, when you are injured, they do not care about you.
“Out of sight, out of mind and they don’t speak to you.
“They aren’t a***d with you basically.
“Sometimes you didn’t even get into the team meetings.”
Dealing with a long-term injury can be a lonely thing for any footballer.
Often surgery, rehab and then day after day in the gym, a lot of time spent alone recovering.
Out of sight and out of mind for supporters – and sometimes managers – for months on end until fit and available once more.
With that comes a mental battle, one that only those who have been signed off from work they love for a considerable length of time can explain.
Right now, long-term injuries are scattered throughout McPake’s first-team squad.
Striker Cillian Sheridan is out for the season after rupturing his Achilles tendon, defender Lee Ashcroft is unlikely to return to the pitch until March following a nasty hamstring issue.
Midfielder Shaun Byrne escaped the worst of a knee injury but has been sidelined since October and is only now on the verge first-team training again.
One Dee who has known injury more than most is forward Alex Jakubiak with a catalogue of fitness problems restricting him to just seven starts in 18 months.
In a recent interview he described his time at Dens Park as the “hardest of his life”.
Returning to the squad after missing most of last season, Jakubiak said: “It’s been a tough season physically but mentally as well.
“I do feel I’ve come out of what you might say is a dark place but can now see the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Every player is different but much of that “dark place” stems from the same place.
Former Scotland, Dundee and Dundee United defender Lee Wilkie’s career ended prematurely due to ongoing knee problems.
The first came while at Dens Park in a derby against United in 2004 and the 41-year-old admits it hit him hard.
“It’s really tough. Suddenly you